1901–02 Aston Villa F.C. season

{{Short description|1901–02 season of Aston Villa}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{main|History of Aston Villa F.C. (1874–1961)}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Aston Villa

| logo =

| season = 1901–02

| manager = {{flagicon|Scotland}} George Ramsay

| chairman = {{flagicon|England}} Frederick Rinder

| league = First Division

| league result = 8th

| cup1 = FA Cup

| cup1 result = first round

| cup2 =

| cup2 result =

| cup3 =

| cup3 result =

| cup4 =

| cup4 result =

| league topscorer =

| season topscorer =

| highest attendance =

| lowest attendance =

| prevseason = 1900–01

| nextseason = 1902–03

}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Second City Derby

| league result = 7--0--2

| prevseason = 1900-01

| nextseason = 1903-04

}}

The 1901–02 Football League season was Aston Villa's 14th season in the First Division, the top flight in English football at the time. The season fell in what was to be called Villa's golden era.{{cite news|url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0,,10265~423103,00.html |title=Aston Villa Club History 1900 – 1939 |publisher=AVFC.co.uk |accessdate=2007-10-28 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824144935/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0%2C%2C10265~423103%2C00.html |archivedate=24 August 2006 |url-status=dead}}

On Wednesday 25 December 1901, Villa won 3–2 away to Everton in front of a crowd of 18,000 at Goodison Park. Villa scorer, Willie Clarke (41) became the first non-white player to score in the English First Division.{{cite web|url=http://www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2011/07/celebrating-106-years-of-black-footballers-at-valley-parade/|title=Celebrating 106 Years of Black Footballers at Valley Parade|date=6 July 2011|author=Dave Pendleton|publisher=Boy From Brazil}}{{cite web |title=Football's Black Pioneers on Radio Leeds |url=https://footballs-black-pioneers.com/about/tag/bradford-city/ |website=Football's Black Pioneers |accessdate=9 September 2020}}{{cite book |last1=Murray |first1=Scott |title=The Title: The Story of the First Division |date=September 2017 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9781472936622 |edition=1st |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9M8vDgAAQBAJ |accessdate=9 September 2020}}

During the season Joe Bache (431), and Jimmy Crabtree (176) shared the captaincy of the club.AVFC History: [https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/1901-02-season 1901–02 season] Knee and ankle injuries induced Howard Spencer (258) to take the season off for twelve months rest.{{cite news |url=https://playupliverpool.com/1901/07/03/twelve-months-rest-for-howard-spencer/ |title=Twelve months rest for Howard Spencer |newspaper=Dundee Evening Post |date=3 July 1901 |accessdate=17 December 2017}}

The previous season Small Heath had finished runners-up in Second Division, so were promoted to the First Division for 1901–02.{{cite web |title=Birmingham Senior Cup |work=The Birmingham City FC Archive |publisher=Tony Jordan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050514054937/http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/bhamsnrcup.htm |archive-date=14 May 2005|url=http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/bhamsnrcup.htm }} Villa won 2–0 at Coventry Road Muntz Street with goals by Bache and Jack Devey (268).{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/470|title=Small Heath 0-2 Aston Villa, 1901-02 Division One, 12 Oct 1901|website=AVFC History|accessdate=6 August 2023}} In the 1901 Boxing Day fixture, Villa's Jasper McLuckie (57) was the only scorer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/480|title=Aston Villa 1-0 Small Heath, 1901-02 Division One, 26 Dec 1901|website=AVFC History|accessdate=6 August 2023}} At the end of the season Small Heath were relegated back to the Second Division. In locally organised competition, Small Heath lost to Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.{{cite web |title=Birmingham Senior Cup |work=The Birmingham City FC Archive |publisher=Tony Jordan |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050514054937/http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/bhamsnrcup.htm |archivedate=14 May 2005|url=http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/bhamsnrcup.htm }}

There were debuts for Willie Clarke, George Smith, George Harris, George Shutt, Tom Perry, Billy Marriott, Jasper McLuckie, Billy Brawn, Tommy Niblo, Bert Banks (5) and Harry Cooch.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/villa-seasons|title=Aston Villa's Seasons|website=AVFC History}}