The 1877–78 English football season was Aston Villa's fourth season, eleven years before the creation of the Football League. Originally team captains would consult each other in order to resolve any dispute on the pitch. This role was now delegated to an umpire. Each team would bring their own partisan umpire allowing the team captains to concentrate on the game.
Aston Villa Football Club played in scarlet and royal blue hooped shirts, white shorts and royal blue caps and stockings.Aston Villa's first milestone, John Hughes, Sunday Mercury & Sunday News 30 March 1924 The club rules stated "No member can take place in a match unless in the above uniform".A Football Jubilee, John Hughes, Sunday Mercury & Sunday News 9 March 1924
Birmingham Senior Cup
Friendlies
Athletics The club hosted sports athletic events at their new Wellington Road ground. Here, in particular, Charlie Johnstone, Tommy Pank and Howard Vaughton excelled.In June 1877 the club held its annnual Athletic event, with nine open events and three for members."The Annual Athletic Sports of the Aston Villa Football Club", Birmingham Evening Mail, 5 June 1878, p1 In 1877, after a dispute over a three-mile run, a number of Birmingham Excelsior Football Club members - including Excelsior player/secretary Thomas Pank - would soon join Aston Villa.
At the Dudley F.C.C annual athletic sports Walter Price representing Aston Villa Cricket Club, placed second in throwing a cricket ball. A Villa member was disqualified from one mile walking handicap at the Walsall Cricket and Football Club Athletic fete. Walsall Athletic Fete Birmingham Daily Post, 10 June 1878, p5 Tommy Pank, representing Aston Villa, placed second in his heat of the 220-yards-handicap at the amateur athletics meeting hosted by Handsworth Cricket Club.Handsworth Athletic Sports, Birmingham Daily Post, 17 June 1878, p5
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