Aston Villa FC

Club: Aston Villa FC
Formed: 1874
Nickname: The Villains
Colours: Claret and sky blue
Stadium: Villa Park (42,584)
Address: Trinity Rd, Villa Park, Birmingham, B6 6HE
Official website: www.avfc.co.uk

Formed in 1874 by cricketers from the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in the Aston area of Birmingham - hence the name!

Founder members of the Football League in 1888, by the turn of the century Villa had won the league championship four times and the FA Cup twice. But following their sixth title triumph in 1910, the club stagnated and had to wait until 1981 for their next championship. But this was Villa's golden period, and in 1982 came the club's greatest achievement - winning the European Cup.

But the heady days were not to last, and since then Villa have only tasted success in the 1994 League Cup. Now it's up to David O'Leary to lift Villa from mid-table mediocrity to a station befitting that of the biggest club in England's second city.

Fact: Villa legend David Platt was once the world's most expensive footballer, his combined transfer fees topping 22million pounds.

Fact: Founded by cricketers, Villa played its first game against Aston Brook St Mary's Rugby team and the game consisted in one half of football and the other of rugby.