Villa Park
Now over a hundred years old. Villa Park has a
remarkable story to tell. The Home of Heroes AND Villains.
Surely no football ground can have such a rich and varied history as Villa
Park. Originally known as Aston Lower Grounds it was the site of a Victorian
amusement park.
I could not do the ground justice in the few words that I have here. For a
complete history of Villa Park I reccommend Simon Inglis' book, "Villa Park,
100 Years." ISBN 0-946866-43-0. Published by Sports Projects, priced
£24.95. If you read carefully enough you might just find a couple of extracts
from various issues of Heroes & Villains!
Villa played their first few games in parkland around Aston Hall
before moving to Perry Barr where they played their games for 20 years. Villa
moved to a purpose built stadium ar the Lower Grounds, on a pitch that had
originally been a boating lake in 1897. Their first game there was on Easter
Saturday, 17 April 1897 versus Blackburn Rovers. A cycle track ran around the
outside of the pitch, there was a stand which seated 5,500 with standing room for 4,500
in front, and room for 8,000 on the Trinity Road side of the ground.
Still refered to as the Lower Grounds, the name "Villa Park" came into
being simply by popular useage. There was certainly no official decision to
change the name by the club.
However here a just a few of the more interesting facts
- It has hosted lacrosse games played by the Iroquois Indians from Canada, England
versus Australia cricket matches and bike races.
- Villa's first game at the Lower Grounds was a friendly against Blackburn.
- Villa were charged 250 pounds per year rent but with an option to buy within 21
years at five shillings (25 pence) a square yard.
- Also on the original site were an aquarium, a skating rink and a restaurant.
Some of these were turned into offices (now demolished).
- The pitch is on the site of where the boating lake was!
- Until 1914 a concrete cycle track surrounded the pitch.
- The Trinity Road stand was built in 1922 but it's official opening was delayed
after arguments with builders. The Duke of York (later King George VI) finally
conducted the official opening ceremony.
- The Holte End banking was built up and finished in 1940.
- The Trinity Road Stand was re-fitted as an air raid shelter and
a rifle company occupied the home dressing room.
- Floodlights were first used in 1958. These developed into the now infamous
(and sadly replaced) "A V A V" lights that could be seen from the city
centre.
- The Holte End was covered in 1962 at a cost of £40,00. At one time it was the
biggest Kop in the country.
- Villa Park hosted games for the 1966 World Cup with a new Witton Lane Stand built
especially.
- The North Stand was built in the late 1970s, but financial "errors" saw
the club in hot water over the fact that, it is alleged that a 250,000 bricks went
"missing".
- The Holte End is the largest goal end-stand in Europe! It holds 13,600 spectators.
- Undersoil heating was installed at Villa Park in June 1996.
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