List of Aston Villa F.C. managers

This chronological list of managers of Aston Villa Football Club comprises all those who have held the position of secretary or manager of the first team of Aston Villa since the formation of the club in 1874. From 1874 to 1934, the team was selected by a committee whose secretary had the same powers and role as a manager has today. There were two secretaries during this period, George Ramsay and W. J. Smith. The most successful person to manage the club was George Ramsay, who won six FA Cups and six First Division championships in his 42-year reign as secretary. Jimmy McMullan became the first full-time manager in 1934. Aston Villa were the first top-tier club to appoint a manager from outside the United Kingdom or Ireland when Jozef Vengloš was appointed in 1990.[1]

Manager turnover has increased substantially over the past 30 years. The chairman of the time, Doug Ellis, acquired the nickname "Deadly Doug" because of his penchant for hiring and firing managers. In the 37 years that Ellis was involved with the Board, he hired and fired 13 out of the 24 managers that Aston Villa have had over their 133-year history.[2] One of Ellis's last acts before selling the club to Randy Lerner was to appoint Martin O'Neill, who was with the club from 4 August 2006 to 9 August 2010.[3]

  1. ^ "Celtic appoints new coach". BBC Sport. 17 July 1998. Archived from the original on 15 January 2009. Retrieved 29 September 2007.
  2. ^ "The Managers of Aston Villa". fansite(br0wn.co.uk). Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2007.
  3. ^ "O'Neill named Aston Villa manager". BBC Sport. 4 August 2006. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2007.