1901–02 Aston Villa F.C. season

The 1901–02 English football season was Aston Villa's 14th season in the Football League, competing in the First Division,^[a] the top flight in English football at the time. The season fell in what was to be called Villa's golden era.^[1]

On Wednesday 25 December 1901, Villa won 3–2 away to Everton in front of a crowd of 18,000 at Goodison Park.^[2] Villa scorer, Willie Clarke (41) became the first non-white player to score in the English First Division.^[3][4][5]

During the season Joe Bache (431), and Jimmy Crabtree (176) shared the captaincy of the club.^[2] Knee and ankle injuries induced Howard Spencer (258) to take the season off for twelve months rest.^[6]

The previous season Small Heath had finished runners-up in Second Division, so were promoted to the First Division for 1901–02.^[7] Villa won 2–0 at Coventry Road Muntz Street with goals by Bache and Jack Devey (268).^[8] In the 1901 Boxing Day fixture, Villa's Jasper McLuckie (57) was the only scorer.^[9] At the end of the season Small Heath were relegated back to the Second Division. In locally organised competition, Small Heath lost to Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.^[10]

There were debuts for Willie Clarke,^[11] George Smith,^[12] George Harris,^[13] George Shutt,^[14] Tom Perry,^[15] Billy Marriott,^[16] Jasper McLuckie,^[17] Billy Brawn,^[18] Tommy Niblo,^[19] Bert Banks (5) ^[20] and Harry Cooch.^[21][22]