Around and about Aston Villa

1. Where is Aston? Why can’t I see Aston on some maps of England?
Aston is a suburb of Birmingham. In fact, it is quite a small suburb, with a population of just 28,000. This is just 3% of Birmingham’s population of nearly 1 million.

2. What is Aston famous for?
As well as Aston Villa football team, Aston has a university that is well known for its engineering and business courses.

3. So who lives in Aston?
Aston is one of the most ethnically diverse places in Britain. 71% of the population is from an ethnic minority, and half of these people were born outside the UK.

4. Where do the people come from?
50% of the population are Asian, and many of these people come from the Kashmir region of Pakistan and India. 22% of the population are Black British.

5. How did Aston Villa start?
The soccer team was started by 4 friends who attended a church called Villa Cross. Their first match was against another church team – Aston Brook St Mary’s. The only problem was that Aston Brook were a rugby team! So, the teams agreed to play the first half of the match using rugby rules, and the second using football rules!

6. Is Aston Villa’s nickname (Villans) a spelling mistake?
The word ‘villain’ meaning ‘criminal’ is spelt with an ‘i’. But this is not what the nickname means  - it is simply from the name of the club, Aston Villa.

7. What is the Birmingham derby?
This is a match between Birmingham’s two main teams, the rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa. It has been played annually since 1879. So far, Aston Villa have won 50 of the matches, Birmingham City 37, and the rest have been draws.

Click here for a vocabulary activity

What do you remember about Aston Villa?

Read the statements about Aston Villa and decide if they are true or false.

Exercise

Every club has a motto. But what is Aston Villa’s? Search the web to find the answer:

• Prepared
• Get ready
• Preparation
• Readiness

Find out more about Birmingham from Visit Britain's Birmingham destination guide.