Aston Villa is founded by members of a Wesleyan chapel cricket team.

A cricket club in search of a winter pastime accidentally founded one of English football's oldest fixtures.
On 21 November 1874, members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth, Birmingham, formed Aston Villa Football Club. They needed something to do between cricket seasons. Eight years later, on 18 May 1882, Burnley Rovers (soon shortened to Burnley) were established in Lancashire. Both clubs would become founding members of the Football League in 1888, making this one of English football's oldest fixtures.














