During the season [[Howard Spencer]] and [[Albert Evans (footballer, born 1874)|Albert Evans]] shared the captaincy of the club.<ref name=avfc>AVFC History: [https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/1902-03-season 1902-03 season]</ref> Spencer returned, having taken the [[1901–02 Aston Villa F.C. season|1901–02 season]] off in order to rest his knee and ankle for twelve months in the hope of recovering from an injury.<ref>{{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 |access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> [[Billy Garraty]], great-great-grandfather of [[Jack Grealish]], made 30 appearances during the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-v-arsenal-1905-9067929 |title=Aston Villa v Arsenal: This 1905 FA Cup winner is related to a current Villa star – find out who |first=Mat |last=Kendrick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=26 May 2015 |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://englandstats.com/players.php?pid=380 |title=Player info: William Garraty |website=Englandstats.com |publisher=Davey Naylor |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref>
During the season [[Howard Spencer]] and [[Albert Evans (footballer, born 1874)|Albert Evans]] shared the captaincy of the club.<ref name=avfc>AVFC History: [https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/1902-03-season 1902-03 season]</ref> Spencer returned, having taken the [[1901–02 Aston Villa F.C. season|1901–02 season]] off in order to rest his knee and ankle for twelve months in the hope of recovering from an injury.<ref>{{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 |access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> [[Billy Garraty]], great-great-grandfather of [[Jack Grealish]], made 30 appearances during the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-v-arsenal-1905-9067929 |title=Aston Villa v Arsenal: This 1905 FA Cup winner is related to a current Villa star – find out who |first=Mat |last=Kendrick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=26 May 2015 |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://englandstats.com/players.php?pid=380 |title=Player info: William Garraty |website=Englandstats.com |publisher=Davey Naylor |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref>
[[Alex Leake]] joined Aston Villa from [[1902–03 Small Heath F.C. season|Small Heath]] in July 1902, when he was 31, and stayed five years. In a 1901 profile in the ”[[Daily Express]]”, [[C.B. Fry]] wrote:<ref>{{cite news |last=Fry |first=C.B. |author-link=C.B. Fry |title=Football Gossip. The Small Heath Club and its members. How they play |work=Daily Express |date=26 October 1901 |page=8}}</ref>{{blockquote|Leake is one of the best half-backs of the day; he is a character, and very popular. Fast, with exceptional stamina, he is on the go all the game through; yet never tires.}} Other debuts were Arthur Lockett, Albert Fisher, Oscar Evans and [https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/harry–griffin Harry Griffin (1)] .<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/villa-seasons|title=Aston Villa’s Seasons|website=AVFC History}}</ref>
[[Alex Leake]] joined Aston Villa from [[1902–03 Small Heath F.C. season|Small Heath]] in July 1902, when he was 31, and stayed five years. In a 1901 profile in the ”[[Daily Express]]”, [[C.B. Fry]] wrote:<ref>{{cite news |last=Fry |first=C.B. |author-link=C.B. Fry |title=Football Gossip. The Small Heath Club and its members. How they play |work=Daily Express |date=26 October 1901 |page=8}}</ref>{{blockquote|Leake is one of the best half-backs of the day; he is a character, and very popular. Fast, with exceptional stamina, he is on the go all the game through; yet never tires.}} Other debuts were Arthur Lockett, Albert Fisher, Oscar Evans https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/- Harry Griffin].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/villa-seasons|title=Aston Villa’s Seasons|website=AVFC History}}</ref>
In Villa’s first home game of 1903 they beat Forest 3–1. Two weeks later they beat Blackburn 5–0 at home. The next home tie was in the [[1903 FA Cup|FA Cup]] with Villa beating Sunderland 4–1. In February Villa beat Barnsley 4–1, also a home tie in the FA Cup. April 1903 saw five home fixtures for Villa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All the Matches |url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/all-the-matches |website=www.avfchistory.co.uk}}</ref> They won all five and thus had nine consecutive home wins to end the season.<ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/530 4 April 1903 Villa 3-1 Wolves]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/532 13 April Villa 2-0 Stoke]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/533 15 Apr Villa 2-1 Notts County]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/534 18 Apr Villa 4-2 Sheffield United]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/536 27 Apr Villa 5-0 Middlesbrough]</ref>
In Villa’s first home game of 1903 they beat Forest 3–1. Two weeks later they beat Blackburn 5–0 at home. The next home tie was in the [[1903 FA Cup|FA Cup]] with Villa beating Sunderland 4–1. In February Villa beat Barnsley 4–1, also a home tie in the FA Cup. April 1903 saw five home fixtures for Villa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All the Matches |url=https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/all-the-matches |website=www.avfchistory.co.uk}}</ref> They won all five and thus had nine consecutive home wins to end the season.<ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/530 4 April 1903 Villa 3-1 Wolves]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/532 13 April Villa 2-0 Stoke]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/533 15 Apr Villa 2-1 Notts County]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/534 18 Apr Villa 4-2 Sheffield United]</ref><ref>[https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/536 27 Apr Villa 5-0 Middlesbrough]</ref>
English football club season
Aston Villa 1902–03 football season
The 1902–03 English football season was Aston Villa’s 15th season in the Football League competing in the First Division,[a] the top flight of English football at the time. The season fell in what was to be called Villa’s golden era.[1]
During the season Howard Spencer and Albert Evans shared the captaincy of the club.[2] Spencer returned, having taken the 1901–02 season off in order to rest his knee and ankle for twelve months in the hope of recovering from an injury.[3] Billy Garraty, great-great-grandfather of Jack Grealish, made 30 appearances during the season.[4][5]
Alex Leake joined Aston Villa from Small Heath in July 1902, when he was 31, and stayed five years. In a 1901 profile in the Daily Express, C.B. Fry wrote:[6]
Leake is one of the best half-backs of the day; he is a character, and very popular. Fast, with exceptional stamina, he is on the go all the game through; yet never tires.
Other debuts were Arthur Lockett,[7] Albert Fisher,[8] Oscar Evans [9] and Harry Griffin.[10][11]
In Villa’s first home game of 1903 they beat Forest 3–1. Two weeks later they beat Blackburn 5–0 at home. The next home tie was in the FA Cup with Villa beating Sunderland 4–1. In February Villa beat Barnsley 4–1, also a home tie in the FA Cup. April 1903 saw five home fixtures for Villa.[12] They won all five and thus had nine consecutive home wins to end the season.[13][14][15][16][17]
League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Matches
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Notes | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep 1902 | Derby | Villa Park | 0–0 | — | — |
| 13 Sep 1902 | Forest | City Ground | 0–2 | — | — |
| 20 Sep 1902 | Bury | Villa Park | 2–2 | — | Joe Bache; George Johnson |
| 27 Sep 1902 | Blackburn | Ewood | 2–0 | — | Joe Bache; George Johnson |
| 4 Oct 1902 | Sunderland | Villa Park | 0–1 | — | — |
| 11 Oct 1902 | Stoke | Victoria Ground | 0–1 | — | — |
| 18 Oct 1902 | Everton | Villa Park | 2–1 | — | Billy Garraty; Michael Noon |
| 1 Nov 1902 | Albion | Villa Park | 0–3 | — | — |
| 8 Nov 1902 | Notts County | Trent Bridge | 1–2 | — | Billy Garraty |
| 15 Nov 1902 | Bolton | Villa Park | 4–2 | — | Joe Bache; Albert Wilkes; Billy Garraty (2) |
| 22 Nov 1902 | Boro | Linthorpe Road | 2–1 | — | Willie Clarke; Own Goal |
| 29 Nov 1902 | Newcastle | Villa Park | 7–0 | — | Joe Bache (2); Alex Leake; Bobby Templeton; George Johnson (2); Own Goal |
| 6 Dec 1902 | Wolves | Molineux | 1–2 | — | Joe Bache |
| 13 Dec 1902 | Liverpool | Villa Park | 1–2 | — | Joe Bache |
| 20 Dec 1902 | Sheffield United | Bramall Lane | 4–2 | — | Jasper McLuckie; Bobby Templeton; Billy Garraty; 4–1 |
| 26 Dec 1902 | Wednesday | Villa Park | 1–0 | — | Billy Garraty (pen) |
| 27 Dec 1902 | Grimsby | Villa Park | 2–2 | — | Billy Garraty (1–1, 2–2) |
| 1 Jan 1903 | Wednesday | Owlerton | 0–4 | — | — |
| 3 Jan 1903 | Derby | Baseball Ground | 0–2 | — | — |
| 10 Jan 1903 | Forest | Villa Park | 3–1 | — | Billy Garraty (2); Jasper McLuckie |
| 17 Jan 1903 | Bury | Gigg Lane | 1–0 | — | Jasper McLuckie |
| 24 Jan 1903 | Blackburn | Villa Park | 5–0 | — | Billy Brawn; Tommy Niblo; Jasper McLuckie; Billy Garraty |
| 31 Jan 1903 | Sunderland | Roker | 0–1 | — | — |
| 14 Feb 1903 | Everton | Goodison | 1–0 | — | Joe Bache |
| 28 Feb 1903 | Albion | Hawthorns | 2–1 | — | Jasper McLuckie; Alf Wood |
| 14 Mar 1903 | Bolton | Burnden | 1–0 | — | George Johnson |
| 28 Mar 1903 | Newcastle | St James’ | 0–2 | — | — |
| 4 Apr 1903 | Wolves | Villa Park | 3–1 | — | Jasper McLuckie; Billy Garraty; George Johnson |
| 11 Apr 1903 | Liverpool | Anfield | 1–2 | — | Billy Garraty (pen) |
| 13 Apr 1903 | Stoke | Villa Park | 2–0 | — | Willie Clarke; Alex Leake |
| 15 Apr 1903 | Notts County | Villa Park | 2–1 | — | Jasper McLuckie; Billy Brawn (pen) |
| 18 Apr 1903 | Sheffield United | Villa Park | 4–2 | — | Jasper McLuckie (3); Billy Garraty |
| 25 Apr 1903 | Grimsby | Blundell Park | 2–0 | — | Jasper McLuckie (2) |
| 27 Apr 1903 | Boro | Villa Park | 5–0 | — | Willie Clarke; Jasper McLuckie; Alex Leake; Alf Wood; George Johnson |
Source: avfchistory.co.uk
FA Cup
Players
Alf Wood, 35 appearances- Billy George, 33 appearances, conceded 35
- Alex Leake, 32 appearances
- Howard Spencer, 31 appearances
- Billy Garraty, 30 appearances
- Joe Bache, 28 appearances
Jasper McLuckie, 24 appearances- George Johnson, 24 appearances
- Tommy Niblo, 21 appearances
- Albert Wilkes, 21 appearances
- Billy Brawn, 20 appearances
- Willie Clarke, 20 appearances
- Micky Noon, 20 appearances
- Albert Evans, 18 appearances
- Joe Pearson, 17 appearances
- Jack Shutt, 15 appearances
- Bobby Templeton, 11 appearances
- Harry Cooch, 5 appearances, conceded 12
- George Harris, 4 appearances
- Tom Perry, 4 appearances
- NEW Harry Griffin, 1 appearance
- NEW Albert Fisher, 1 appearance
- Oscar Evans, 2 appearances
- NEW Arthur Lockett, 1 appearances [2]
