Aston Villa have a rich trophy history stretching back to 1887 having been dominant in their early years. League, cup and European titles also boost the list of how many they have won.
It only took the Birmingham natives until their 13th year in existence to lift the first trophy in Aston Villa’s history books. George Ramsay oversaw the Villans beating West Brom in the FA Cup final. His tenure as the Villans’ secretary from 1884 to 1926 yielded an array of honours.
No manager to lead the Villa Park natives since Ramsay’s reign has yet eclipsed the Scot as Aston Villa’s most decorated boss. He guided the claret-and-blue club to six of their FA Cup crowns and six top-flight titles. While Tony Barton took Aston Villa to the top in Europe, too.
Aston Villa have won seven top-flight titles
Ramsay cemented his place as an Aston Villa legend while serving as the Birmingham side’s secretary. He oversaw six of their top-flight titles to date from 1884 to 1926 and established the Villans as the cream of the crop in England. Ron Saunders guided them back to the top.
List of Aston Villa’s top-flight league titles:
1893/94 English Football League, Division One
1895/96
1896/97
1898/99
1899/1900
1909/10
1980/81
A smattering of relegations also litter Aston Villa’s history as a club but would also yield a few lower-league titles. The Villans have lifted the trophy in England’s second and third tiers over the years. But Aston Villa last played in the third tier in 1972 and in the second tier in 2019.
List of Aston Villa’s other league titles:
1937/38 English Football League, Division Two
1959/60
1971/72 English Football League, Division Three
Alongside the league titles on the list of how many honours Aston Villa have won, the Villans have also secured promotion without a trophy through the automatic places or the play-offs.
List of Aston Villa’s other promotions:
1974/75 English Football League, Division Two runners-up
1987/88 English Football League, Division Two runners-up
2018/19 English Football League, Championship play-offs (beat Derby 2-1 in the final)
Aston Villa have won the FA Cup seven times
Aston Villa are among the most successful clubs in the history of the FA Cup having won the trophy seven times to date. The Villans have also reached the final on four further occasions, most recently in 2015. While their maiden trophy in the competition came on the eighth try.
List of Aston Villa’s FA Cup trophies:
1886/87 (beat West Brom 2-0 in the final)
1894/95 (beat West Brom 1-0 in the final)
1896/97 (beat Everton 3-2 in the final)
1904/05 (beat Newcastle 2-0 in the final)
1912/13 (beat Sunderland 1-0 in the final)
1919/20 (beat Huddersfield 1-0 AET in the final
1956/57 (beat Manchester United 2-1 in the final)
Aston Villa have won the EFL Cup five times
An array of English Football League Cup (EFL Cup) titles also feature on the list of how many trophies Aston Villa have won throughout the club’s history. The Villans have also lost in the final on four occasions, including their most recent appearance during the 2019/20 season.
List of Aston Villa’s EFL Cup trophies:
1960/61 (beat Rotherham 3-2 on aggregate in the final)
1974/75 (beat Norwich 1-0 in the final)
1976/77 (beat Everton 3-2 AET in a second replay of the final)
1993/94 (beat Manchester United 3-1 in the final)
1995/96 (beat Leeds 3-0 in the final)
Aston Villa have won the Community Shield once
The top-flight and FA Cup titles that make up Aston Villa’s trophy history have also given the club multiple appearances in the Community Shield. But the Birmingham side have only won the traditional curtain-raiser once over four tries. Their most recent appearance was in 1981.
List of Aston Villa’s Community Shield trophies:
1981* (shared, drew 2-2 with Tottenham)
Aston Villa have won multiple European trophies
Aston Villa’s trophy history does not exclusively feature domestic titles as they have also had joy in Europe. The claret-and-blue club lifted the Champions League trophy when the UEFA tournament was the European Cup. It marked the Villans’ maiden continental trophy, as well.
Intertoto Cup and UEFA Super Cup, previously known as the European Super Cup, titles also feature in Aston Villa’s trophy history. The Intertoto Cup initially crowned one champion but UEFA adapted the tournament to be a pre-qualifier for the UEFA Cup with multiple winners.
List of Aston Villa’s European trophies:
1981/82 European Cup (beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the final)
1982 European Super Cup (beat Barcelona 3-1 on aggregate)
2001 Intertoto Cup (beat Basel 5-2 on aggregate in the final)
2008* Intertoto Cup (co-winner and qualified for the UEFA Cup)
Aston Villa have won several lesser trophies
Beside winning several major titles throughout their history, Aston Villa’s trophy cabinet also features some lesser honours. The Villans enjoyed success in the Sheriff of London Charity Shield in their early years. The fixture featured the top amateur club and professional team.
List of Aston Villa’s other trophies:
1899* Sheriff of London Charity Shield (shared, drew 0-0 with Queens’ Park)
1901 Sheriff of London Charity Shield (beat Corinthians 1-0)
