VILLA PARK
Villa Park has been a League ground for 129 seasons
from 1 Jul 1897 to the current day
The 53rd ground used for a League game
Current capacity: 42,788
Opened: 1897
TENANTS
Teams that have used this ground as a home
| Team | From | To | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Aston Villa | 1 Aug 1897 | Current | The club moved here from Wellington Road in 1897. One of the individual League scoring records was set here when Ted Drake of Arsenal netted all seven of their goals in the 7-1 win against Aston Villa on December 14th, 1935. | |
|
Aston Villa Women | 1 Jul 2024 | Current |
LEAGUE EVENTS
Promotions, relegations and ground moves associated with this ground
| Date | Team | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1897 | Aston Villa | Moved from Wellington Road to Villa Park |
GROUND HISTORY
adapted from "The Ultimate Directory of English & Scottish Football League Grounds"
The Aston Lower Grounds were opened in the 1870s as a pleasure garden and a number of its buildings were retained when Aston Villa FC moved from Wellington Road in 1897 and laid out Villa Park on the site of the formal gardens and ornamental lake. The pitch was surrounded by a cycle track and the facilities included a 5,500 seat main stand on the east side, a pavilion and cover on the west side and embankments around the ends. Following the purchase of the ground for Β£8,250 in 1911 the facilities were improved with the removal of the cycle track, expansion of the end terraces to the pitch edge and installation of terracing in front of the stand on the east side whilst a new stand was subsequently completed on the west side.
The south end terrace was extended in 1940 (and subsequently roofed in 1962) and the record attendance of 76,588 was set at the FA Cup 6th Round tie v. Derby County (3-4) on March 2nd, 1946. A new roof was installed on the east stand in 1964 and seats installed in the paddock in 1966 as part of the preparations for the World Cup. In the 1970s seats were installed in the west stand paddock and a new two-tier 4,000 seat stand constructed at the north end.
The south end terrace was extended in 1940 (and subsequently roofed in 1962) and the record attendance of 76,588 was set at the FA Cup 6th Round tie v. Derby County (3-4) on March 2nd, 1946. A new roof was installed on the east stand in 1964 and seats installed in the paddock in 1966 as part of the preparations for the World Cup. In the 1970s seats were installed in the west stand paddock and a new two-tier 4,000 seat stand constructed at the north end.
In 1990 the terracing at the south end was refurbished and the roof extended but, as the result of poor planning, the whole end was demolished just four years later and replaced with a 13,462 seat two-tier stand. Also in 1990 the stand on the west side was refurbished whilst in 1993 the east stand was extended to the rear (necessitating a re-alignment to the road) and rebuilt as a two-tier structure giving an all-seat capacity in 2000 of 39,217.
In 2001 the main stand on the west side was expanded over the adjacent road and totally rebuilt and at the start of the 2007/8 season the ground capacity had increased to 42,573. The pitch size was 115 x 75 yards.
GROUND DETAILS
adapted from "The Extreme Groundhoppers Guide"
- Ground address
- Villa Park, Trinity Rd, Birmingham B6 6HE
- Main phone
- 0121 327 2299
- Ticket office
- 0800 612 0970
- Ticket prices
- The price of ticket varies so go on to their web site and buy your tickets on line
- Food & drink
- The Witton Arms pub (formerly known as the Cap'n'Gown) is fan friendly pub only 2 minutes walk from Villa Park. The Witton Arms is situated less than 50 metres from Witton Rail Station, on the short walk to Villa Park. On match days the main bar is allocated to visiting football fans, and you will be sure of a warm welcome.
- If driving
- Take the M6; leave the M6 at Junction 6 and take the slip road sign posted Birmingham (NE). Turn right at the roundabout (the fourth exit), the ground is well signposted from here. But turn right at the second set of traffic lights (At the King Edward VII pub) on to Aston Hall Road. This road will take you down to the ground. Mostly street parking although this is not as plentiful as it once was due to a local resident only parking scheme now in place in the streets around the Witton roundabout area. In-between the Witton Arms and Witton Station there is a small pay and display car park which cost only Β£1.60 for six hours.
- Public transport
- From Birmingham New Street Rail Station from there itβs a 22 minutes journey by train to either Aston Rail or Witton station. Witton station is nearer and is only a few minutesβ walk from the ground. Turn left out of the station exit and continue down Manor Road to a roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout into Witton Lane and the ground is in front of you. Aston station is a ten minute walk away from the ground walk down Lichfield Road at the first right turn into Queenβs Road and follows it down to the
ground although it changes to Witton Lane nearer the ground. Extra trains are laid on to the ground on match days.
MAP
Villa Park