The 1897âÂÂ98 Football League season was Aston Villa's 10th season in the Football League. Villa, the reigning champions, played in the First Division, the top flight of English football. George Ramsay would continue in charge of the team picked by the Management Committee. The season fell in what was to be called Villa's golden era.
First-class cricketer and England football international, Jack Devey was Captain. Jimmy Crabtree also captained the team. "Diamond" Freddie Wheldon was League top scorer with 21. Billy Garraty great-great grandfather of Jack Grealish, made his league debut for Aston Villa during the season but made just one other appearance that year. Other debuts were James Fisher, Jack Sharp, Bert Sharp, Billy George, Howard Harvey, Jimmy Suddick, Tommy Bowman, Edmund Strange, George Johnson and Charlie Aston.
Aston Villa's Christmas fixture was away at Everton kicking off at 11:00am. Wheldon, kit man Joe Grierson & Jimmy and John Cowan were travelling to the station when their coach and horse overturned. Playing a crucial game short of players and without kit was not an option but missing a match would incur a fine of ã250 (roughly ã40,000 in 2026). By the time they arrived, their 8:50am train had departed leaving Vice-President C S Johnstone and the rest of the team on the platform. The only option was to take a train to Stafford where they told a special would take them onwards to Liverpool. However once at Stafford, they found there was no train arranged. Johnstone took control and was able to bribe their train's driver, stoker and guard with seats in the director's box, dinner and half a sovereign each if they would continue the train to Liverpool. The game kicked-off ten minutes late. Unfortunately Johnstone was unable to guarantee a victory.
Source: avfchistory.co.uk
Matches played by Aston Villa included a 6-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion.