Aston Villa Verdict

News as it breaks, rumors ranked, lineups projected, every season since 1888 on record — the daily verdict on everything Villa

Timeline Every Season Top Scorers Appearances Managers

137 Years in One Line

League position by season, from the Football League's 1888 founding to today. Gold markers are Villa's seven league titles. Bands mark divisions; gaps are the World Wars.

Every Season Since 1888

Season	Div	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	Pos	FA Cup	Lge Cup	Europe / Other	Top scorer	Goals	Manager
2025–26	Prem	38	19	8	11	56	49	65	4th			UEFA Europa League W	Ollie Watkins	21	Unai Emery
2024–25	Prem	38	19	9	10	58	51	66	6th	SF	R4	UEFA Champions League QF	Ollie Watkins	17	Unai Emery
2023–24	Prem	38	20	8	10	76	61	68	4th	R4	R3	UEFA Conference League SF	Ollie Watkins	27	Unai Emery
2022–23	Prem	38	18	7	13	51	46	61	7th	R3	R3		Ollie Watkins	16	Steven Gerrard → Unai Emery
2021–22	Prem	38	13	6	19	52	54	45	14th	R3	R3		Ollie Watkins	11	Dean Smith → Steven Gerrard
2020–21	Prem	38	16	7	15	55	46	55	11th	R3	R4		Ollie Watkins	16	Dean Smith
2019–20	Prem	38	9	8	21	41	67	35	17th	R3	RU		Jack Grealish	10	Dean Smith
2018–19	Champ	46	20	16	10	82	61	76	5th PRO	R3	R2	League play-offs W	Tammy Abraham	26	Steve Bruce → Dean Smith
2017–18	Champ	46	24	11	11	72	42	83	4th	R3	R3	League play-offs RU	Albert Adomah	15	Steve Bruce
2016–17	Champ	46	16	14	16	47	48	62	13th	R3	R1		Jonathan Kodjia	19	Roberto Di Matteo → Steve Bruce
2015–16	Prem	38	3	8	27	27	76	17	20th REL	R4	R4		Jordan Ayew	7	Tim Sherwood → Rémi Garde
2014–15	Prem	38	10	8	20	31	57	38	17th	RU	R2		Christian Benteke	15	Paul Lambert → Tim Sherwood
2013–14	Prem	38	10	8	20	39	61	38	15th	R3	R3		Christian Benteke	11	Paul Lambert
2012–13	Prem	38	10	11	17	47	69	41	15th	R4	SF		Christian Benteke	23	Paul Lambert
2011–12	Prem	38	7	17	14	37	53	38	16th	R4	R3		Darren Bent	10	Alex McLeish
2010–11	Prem	38	12	12	14	48	59	48	9th	R5	QF	UEFA Europa League PO	Darren Bent / Ashley Young	9	Gérard Houllier
2009–10	Prem	38	17	13	8	52	39	64	6th	SF	RU	UEFA Europa League PO	John Carew	17	Martin O'Neill
2008–09	Prem	38	17	11	10	54	48	62	6th	R5	R3	Intertoto Cup / UEFA Cup R32	John Carew	15	Martin O'Neill
2007–08	Prem	38	16	12	10	71	51	60	6th	R3	R3		John Carew	13	Martin O'Neill
2006–07	Prem	38	11	17	10	43	41	50	11th	R3	R4		Gabriel Agbonlahor	10	Martin O'Neill
2005–06	Prem	38	10	12	16	42	55	42	16th	R5	R4		Milan Baroš	12	David O'Leary
2004–05	Prem	38	12	11	15	45	52	47	10th	R3	R3		Juan Pablo Ángel	9	David O'Leary
2003–04	Prem	38	15	11	12	48	44	56	6th	R3	SF		Juan Pablo Ángel	23	David O'Leary
2002–03	Prem	38	12	9	17	42	47	45	16th	R3	QF	Intertoto Cup SF	Dion Dublin	14	Graham Taylor
2001–02	Prem	38	12	14	12	46	47	50	8th	R3	R4	Intertoto Cup W · UEFA Cup R1	Juan Pablo Ángel	16	John Gregory → Graham Taylor
2000–01	Prem	38	13	15	10	46	43	54	8th	R4	R3	Intertoto Cup SF	Dion Dublin	9	John Gregory
1999–2000	Prem	38	15	13	10	46	35	58	6th	RU	SF		Dion Dublin	16	John Gregory
1998–99	Prem	38	15	10	13	51	46	55	6th	R4	R3	UEFA Cup R2	Julian Joachim	16	John Gregory
1997–98	Prem	38	17	6	15	49	48	57	7th	R5	R3	UEFA Cup QF	Dwight Yorke	16	Brian Little → John Gregory
1996–97	Prem	38	17	10	11	47	34	61	5th	R4	R4	UEFA Cup R1	Dwight Yorke	20	Brian Little
1995–96	Prem	38	18	9	11	52	35	63	4th	SF	W		Dwight Yorke	25	Brian Little
1994–95	Prem	42	11	15	16	51	56	48	18th	R4	R4	UEFA Cup R2	Dean Saunders	17	Ron Atkinson → Brian Little
1993–94	Prem	42	15	12	15	46	50	57	10th	R5	W	UEFA Cup R2	Dean Saunders	16	Ron Atkinson
1992–93	Prem	42	21	11	10	57	40	74	2nd	R4	R4		Dean Saunders	16	Ron Atkinson
1991–92	Div 1	42	17	9	16	48	44	60	7th	QF	R2		Dwight Yorke	17	Ron Atkinson
1990–91	Div 1	38	9	14	15	46	58	41	17th	R3	QF	UEFA Cup R2	David Platt	24	Jozef Vengloš
1989–90	Div 1	38	21	7	10	57	38	70	2nd	QF	R3		David Platt	24	Graham Taylor
1988–89	Div 1	38	9	13	16	45	56	40	17th	R4	QF		Alan McInally	22	Graham Taylor
1987–88	Div 2	44	22	12	10	68	41	78	2nd PRO	R4	R4		Warren Aspinall	13	Graham Taylor
1986–87	Div 1	42	8	12	22	45	79	36	22nd REL	R3	R4		Allan Evans	8	Billy McNeill
1985–86	Div 1	42	10	14	18	51	67	44	16th	R4	SF		Simon Stainrod	21	Graham Turner
1984–85	Div 1	42	15	11	16	60	60	56	10th	R3	R3		Paul Rideout	15	Graham Turner
1983–84	Div 1	42	17	9	16	59	61	60	10th	R3	SF	UEFA Cup R2	Peter Withe	22	Tony Barton
1982–83	Div 1	42	21	5	16	62	50	68	6th	QF	R2	Super Cup W · European Cup QF · Intercontinental Cup RU	Gary Shaw	24	Tony Barton
1981–82	Div 1	42	15	12	15	55	53	57	11th	R5	QF	FA Charity Shield W · European Cup W	Peter Withe	17	Ron Saunders → Tony Barton
1980–81	Div 1	42	26	8	8	72	40	60	1st	R3	R3		Peter Withe	21	Ron Saunders
1979–80	Div 1	42	16	14	12	51	50	46	7th	QF	R3		Gary Shaw	13	Ron Saunders
1978–79	Div 1	42	15	16	11	59	49	46	8th	R3	R4		John Deehan	10	Ron Saunders
1977–78	Div 1	42	18	10	14	57	42	46	8th	R3	R4	UEFA Cup QF	Andy Gray	20	Ron Saunders
1976–77	Div 1	42	22	7	13	76	50	51	4th	QF	W		Andy Gray	29	Ron Saunders
1975–76	Div 1	42	11	17	14	51	59	39	16th	R3	R3	UEFA Cup R1	Ray Graydon	14	Ron Saunders
1974–75	Div 2	42	25	8	9	79	32	58	2nd PRO	R5	W		Ray Graydon	27	Ron Saunders
1973–74	Div 2	42	13	15	14	48	45	41	14th	R5	R2		Sammy Morgan	9	Vic Crowe
1972–73	Div 2	42	18	14	10	51	47	50	3rd	R3	R3	FA Charity Shield RU	Alun Evans	11	Vic Crowe
1971–72	Div 3	46	32	6	8	85	32	70	1st PRO	R1	R4		Andy Lochhead	25	Vic Crowe
1970–71	Div 3	46	19	15	12	54	46	53	4th	R1	RU		Andy Lochhead	13	Vic Crowe
1969–70	Div 2	42	8	13	21	36	62	29	21st REL	R3	R2		Bruce Rioch	6	Tommy Docherty → Vic Crowe
1968–69	Div 2	42	12	14	16	37	48	38	18th	R5	R2		Brian Godfrey	7	Tommy Cummings → Tommy Docherty
1967–68	Div 2	42	15	7	20	54	64	37	16th	R4	R2		Brian Godfrey	13	Tommy Cummings
1966–67	Div 1	42	11	7	24	54	85	29	21st REL	R4	R2		Lew Chatterley	13	Dick Taylor
1965–66	Div 1	42	15	6	21	69	80	36	16th	R3	QF		Tony Hateley	28	Dick Taylor
1964–65	Div 1	42	16	5	21	57	82	37	16th	R5	SF		Tony Hateley	34	Dick Taylor
1963–64	Div 1	42	11	12	19	62	71	34	19th	R3	R3		Tony Hateley	19	Joe Mercer
1962–63	Div 1	42	15	8	19	62	68	38	15th	R4	RU		Harry Burrows	22	Joe Mercer
1961–62	Div 1	42	18	8	16	65	56	44	7th	QF	R3		Harry Burrows	20	Joe Mercer
1960–61	Div 1	42	17	9	16	78	77	43	9th	R5	W		Gerry Hitchens	42	Joe Mercer
1959–60	Div 2	42	25	9	8	89	43	59	1st PRO	SF			Gerry Hitchens	25	Joe Mercer
1958–59	Div 1	42	11	8	23	58	87	30	21st REL	SF			Gerry Hitchens	18	Eric Houghton → Joe Mercer
1957–58	Div 1	42	16	7	19	73	86	39	14th	R3		FA Charity Shield RU	Peter McParland	17	Eric Houghton
1956–57	Div 1	42	14	15	13	65	55	43	10th	W			Peter McParland	19	Eric Houghton
1955–56	Div 1	42	11	13	18	52	69	35	20th	R4			Johnny Dixon	18	Eric Houghton
1954–55	Div 1	42	20	7	15	72	73	47	6th	R4			Tommy Thompson	20	Eric Houghton
1953–54	Div 1	42	16	9	17	70	68	41	13th	R3			Tommy Thompson	21	Eric Houghton
1952–53	Div 1	42	14	13	15	63	61	41	11th	QF			Johnny Dixon	14	George Martin
1951–52	Div 1	42	19	9	14	79	70	47	6th	R3			Johnny Dixon	28	George Martin
1950–51	Div 1	42	12	13	17	66	68	37	15th	R4			Johnny Dixon	16	George Martin
1949–50	Div 1	42	15	12	15	61	61	42	12th	R3			Trevor Ford	18	Alex Massie
1948–49	Div 1	42	16	10	16	60	76	42	10th	R4			Trevor Ford	14	Alex Massie
1947–48	Div 1	42	19	9	14	65	57	47	6th	R3			Trevor Ford	18	Alex Massie
1946–47	Div 1	42	18	9	15	67	53	45	8th	R3			Dicky Dorsett	13	Alex Massie
1938–39	Div 1	42	16	9	17	71	60	41	12th	R4			Frank Broome	16	Jimmy Hogan
1937–38	Div 2	42	25	7	10	73	35	57	1st PRO	SF			Frank Broome	25	Jimmy Hogan
1936–37	Div 2	42	16	12	14	82	70	44	9th	R3			Frank Broome	29	Jimmy Hogan
1935–36	Div 1	42	13	9	20	81	110	35	21st REL	R3			Dai Astley	21	Jimmy McMullan
1934–35	Div 1	42	14	13	15	74	88	41	13th	R3			Dai Astley	21	Jimmy McMullan
1933–34	Div 1	42	14	12	16	78	75	40	13th	SF			Dai Astley	33	W. J. Smith
1932–33	Div 1	42	23	8	11	92	67	54	2nd	R4			George Brown	35	W. J. Smith
1931–32	Div 1	42	19	8	15	104	72	46	5th	R4			Pongo Waring	30	W. J. Smith
1930–31	Div 1	42	25	9	8	128	78	59	2nd	R3			Pongo Waring	50	W. J. Smith
1929–30	Div 1	42	21	5	16	92	83	47	4th	QF			George Brown	30	W. J. Smith
1928–29	Div 1	42	23	4	15	98	81	50	3rd	SF			Pongo Waring	32	W. J. Smith
1927–28	Div 1	42	17	9	16	78	73	43	8th	R5			George Cook	27	W. J. Smith
1926–27	Div 1	42	18	7	17	81	83	43	10th	R3			Len Capewell	16	W. J. Smith
1925–26	Div 1	42	16	12	14	86	76	44	6th	R5			Len Capewell	34	George Ramsay
1924–25	Div 1	42	13	13	16	58	71	39	15th	R3			Billy Walker	25	George Ramsay
1923–24	Div 1	42	18	13	11	52	37	49	6th	RU			Len Capewell	26	George Ramsay
1922–23	Div 1	42	18	10	14	64	51	46	6th	R1			Billy Walker	23	George Ramsay
1921–22	Div 1	42	22	3	17	74	55	47	5th	R4			Ian Dickson	28	George Ramsay
1920–21	Div 1	42	18	7	17	63	70	43	10th	R4			Billy Walker	31	George Ramsay
1919–20	Div 1	42	18	6	18	75	73	42	9th	W			Clem Stephenson	29	George Ramsay
1914–15	Div 1	38	13	11	14	62	72	37	14th	R2			Harry Hampton	20	George Ramsay
1913–14	Div 1	38	19	6	13	65	50	44	2nd	SF			Harry Hampton	24	George Ramsay
1912–13	Div 1	38	19	12	7	86	52	50	2nd	W			Harry Hampton	30	George Ramsay
1911–12	Div 1	38	17	7	14	76	63	41	6th	R2			Harry Hampton	28	George Ramsay
1910–11	Div 1	38	22	7	9	69	41	51	2nd	R2		FA Charity Shield RU	Harry Hampton	21	George Ramsay
1909–10	Div 1	38	23	7	8	84	42	53	1st	R3			Harry Hampton	29	George Ramsay
1908–09	Div 1	38	14	10	14	58	56	38	7th	R1			Joe Bache	11	George Ramsay
1907–08	Div 1	38	17	9	12	77	59	43	2nd	R3			Joe Bache	25	George Ramsay
1906–07	Div 1	38	19	6	13	78	52	44	5th	R2			Harry Hampton	21	George Ramsay
1905–06	Div 1	38	17	6	15	72	56	40	8th	R3			Billy Garraty	22	George Ramsay
1904–05	Div 1	34	19	4	11	63	43	42	4th	W			Harry Hampton	22	George Ramsay
1903–04	Div 1	34	17	7	10	70	48	41	5th	R2			Joe Bache	16	George Ramsay
1902–03	Div 1	34	19	3	12	61	40	41	2nd	SF			Jasper McLuckie	20	George Ramsay
1901–02	Div 1	34	13	8	13	42	40	34	8th	R1			Jasper McLuckie	16	George Ramsay
1900–01	Div 1	34	10	10	14	45	51	30	15th	SF			John Devey	15	George Ramsay
1899–1900	Div 1	34	22	6	6	77	35	50	1st	R3			Billy Garraty	30	George Ramsay
1898–99	Div 1	34	19	7	8	76	40	45	1st	R1			John Devey	21	George Ramsay
1897–98	Div 1	30	14	5	11	61	51	33	6th	R5			Fred Wheldon	23	George Ramsay
1896–97	Div 1	30	21	5	4	73	38	47	1st	W			Fred Wheldon	22	George Ramsay
1895–96	Div 1	30	20	5	5	78	45	45	1st	R1			John Campbell	26	George Ramsay
1894–95	Div 1	30	17	5	8	82	43	39	3rd	W			John Devey	19	George Ramsay
1893–94	Div 1	30	19	6	5	84	42	44	1st	R3			John Devey	22	George Ramsay
1892–93	Div 1	30	16	3	11	73	62	35	4th	R1			John Devey	19	George Ramsay
1891–92	FL	26	15	0	11	89	56	30	4th	RU			John Devey	34	George Ramsay
1890–91	FL	22	7	4	11	45	58	18	9th	R2			Arthur Brown	13	George Ramsay
1889–90	FL	22	7	5	10	43	51	19	8th	R2			Dennis Hodgetts	11	George Ramsay
1888–89	FL	22	12	5	5	61	42	29	2nd	R3			Albert Allen	19	George Ramsay

Click a column header to sort. Top scorer counts goals in all competitions. Green rows are league titles. Wins are worth 3 points from 1981-82 onward, 2 before. Mid-season managerial changes shown with →; caretaker spells omitted. Before 1934 the team was picked by committee, with the club secretary in the manager's role.

All-Time Top Scorers

#	Player	Years	Goals	Apps
1	Billy Walker	1919–1933	244	531
2	Harry Hampton	1904–1920	242	373
3	John Devey	1891–1902	187	308
4	Joe Bache	1900–1914	185	474
5	Eric Houghton	1927–1946	170	392
6	Pongo Waring	1928–1935	167	226
7	Johnny Dixon	1945–1961	144	430
8	Peter McParland	1952–1962	120	341
9	Billy Garraty	1897–1908	112	258
10	Ollie Watkins	2020–	102	272

All-Time Appearances

#	Player	Years	Apps
1	Charlie Aitken	1959–1976	660
2	Billy Walker	1919–1934	531
3	Gordon Cowans	1976–1985, 1988–1991	528
4	Allan Evans	1977–1989	475
5	Joe Bache	1900–1915	474
6	Nigel Spink	1979–1996	460
7	Tommy Smart	1920–1934	452
8	Gareth Barry	1997–2009	441
9	Johnny Dixon	1945–1961	430
10	Dennis Mortimer	1975–1985	406

Appearances and goals cover all competitive matches. Watkins totals through 2025-26; he remains active.

Every Manager Since 1884

Manager	Nationality	Tenure	P	W	D	L	Win%	Major honours & notes
Unai Emery	Spain	Nov 2022 – present	196	109	34	53	55.6%	Europa League 2025–26; back into the Champions League
Steven Gerrard	England	Nov 2021 – Oct 2022	40	13	8	19	32.5%	—
Dean Smith	England	Oct 2018 – Nov 2021	134	55	28	51	41.0%	Play-off final winners 2018–19
Steve Bruce	England	Oct 2016 – Oct 2018	102	46	25	31	45.1%	—
Roberto Di Matteo	Italy	Jun 2016 – Oct 2016	12	1	7	4	8.3%	—
Rémi Garde	France	Nov 2015 – Mar 2016	23	3	7	13	13.0%	—
Tim Sherwood	England	Feb 2015 – Oct 2015	28	10	2	16	35.7%	FA Cup final 2014–15
Paul Lambert	Scotland	Jun 2012 – Feb 2015	115	34	26	55	29.6%	—
Alex McLeish	Scotland	Jun 2011 – May 2012	42	9	17	16	21.4%	—
Gérard Houllier	France	Sep 2010 – Jun 2011	36	14	8	14	38.9%	—
Martin O'Neill	Northern Ireland	Aug 2006 – Aug 2010	190	80	60	50	42.1%	Three straight 6th-place finishes
David O'Leary	Ireland	May 2003 – Jul 2006	131	47	35	49	35.9%	—
Graham Taylor (2nd spell)	England	Feb 2002 – May 2003	60	19	14	27	31.7%	—
John Gregory	England	Feb 1998 – Jan 2002	190	82	52	56	43.2%	Intertoto Cup 2001
Brian Little	England	Nov 1994 – Feb 1998	164	68	45	51	41.5%	League Cup 1995–96
Ron Atkinson	England	Jul 1991 – Nov 1994	178	77	45	56	43.3%	League Cup 1993–94
Jozef Vengloš	Czechoslovakia	Jul 1990 – May 1991	49	16	15	18	32.6%	First top-flight manager from outside UK/Ireland
Graham Taylor	England	May 1987 – Jul 1990	142	65	35	42	45.8%	Promotion 1987–88; Div 1 runners-up 1989–90
Billy McNeill	Scotland	Sep 1986 – May 1987	41	9	15	17	21.9%	—
Graham Turner	England	Jul 1984 – Sep 1986	105	33	29	43	31.4%	—
Tony Barton	England	Feb 1982 – Jun 1984	130	58	24	48	44.6%	European Cup 1981–82, European Super Cup 1982
Ron Saunders	England	Jun 1974 – Feb 1982	353	157	98	98	44.5%	League title 1980–81, League Cups 1974–75 and 1976–77
Vic Crowe	Wales	Jan 1970 – May 1974	199	88	55	56	44.2%	Third Division champions 1971–72
Tommy Docherty	Scotland	Dec 1968 – Jan 1970	46	13	16	17	28.3%	—
Tommy Cummings	England	Jul 1967 – Nov 1968	62	18	14	30	29.0%	—
Dick Taylor	England	Jul 1964 – May 1967	144	51	22	71	35.4%	—
Joe Mercer	England	Dec 1958 – Jul 1964	282	120	63	99	42.5%	Second Division champions 1959–60, League Cup 1960–61
Eric Houghton	England	Sep 1953 – Nov 1958	250	88	65	97	35.2%	FA Cup 1956–57
George Martin	Scotland	Dec 1950 – Aug 1953	119	47	30	42	39.5%	—
Alex Massie	Scotland	Aug 1945 – Aug 1950	189	76	46	67	40.2%	—
Jimmy Hogan	England	1936 – Sep 1939	124	57	26	41	46.0%	Second Division champions 1937–38
Jimmy McMullan	Scotland	Jun 1934 – Oct 1936	55	17	15	23	30.9%	—
W. J. Smith	England	Aug 1926 – May 1934 (secretary)	364	175	67	122	48.1%	—
George Ramsay	Scotland	Aug 1884 – May 1926 (secretary)	1327	658	414	255	49.6%	6 League titles, 6 FA Cups

Competitive matches only; records correct through May 2026. Before 1934, teams were selected by committee and the club secretary filled the manager's role — George Ramsay's 42 years and 1,327 matches make him the most decorated figure in the club's history, while Unai Emery's 55.6% is the best win rate of anyone to hold the job. Caretaker managers are not listed.