As founding members of the Football League in 1888, Aston Villa's major successes came in the early years of Villa's history, with five League Championship wins between 1894 and 1900.

The Villans, formed in 1874 by a group of cricketers from Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth, Birmingham, became the first club to achieve the Football League and FA Cup double. In 1897, the year they moved to Aston Lower Grounds, which the fans nicknamed Villa Park.

The League title was secured again in 1910, but despite two FA Cup triumphs Aston Villa's early success gradually faded and they were relegated to Division Two for the first time in 1936.

The next few decades saw Aston Villa Football Club move between the top two divisions, with only cup successes keeping them in the limelight.

Aston Villa's lowest point was reached in 1970 when they dropped to the third tier of English football for the one and only time.

The glory days returned, however, under manager Ron Saunders, who guided Aston Villa FC back to the top flight in 1975 and then to the Division One title for the seventh and last time in 1981.

Life got even better under caretaker boss Tony Barton, as Peter Withe's goal guided them to a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final the following year.

Then, in the 1992-93 season, Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United, their highest finish in the Premier League; under charismatic manager Ron Atkinson.

Despite a number of years of instability and a series of managerial changes, Villa remain strong members of the Premier League finishing in the top 10 for seven consecutive seasons between 1996 and 2002.

Stability returned to Aston Villa FC in 2006 when, after 23 years at the helm, chairman Doug Ellis sold his major shareholding in the Aston Villa Football Club to American millionaire Randy Lerner; a move which coincided with the arrival of manager Martin O'Neill at the club.