Club colours & crest
The club colours are claret shirt with sky blue sleeves, white shorts with claret and blue trim, sky blue socks with claret and white trim. They were the original wearers of these famous colours and other teams, notably West Ham, Burnley and Scunthorpe adopted the same colours. Villa's colours at the outset were generally comprised of plain shirts, either white or grey or a shade of blue, with either white or black shorts. For a few years after that (1877-79) The team wore several different kits from all white, blue and black, red and blue to plain green. By 1880 black jerseys with a red lion embroidered on the chest were introduced by William McGregor. Some believe Villa legend George Ramsay played a part in the introduction of the Scottish 'Rampant Lion'. This remained the first choice strip for six years. On Monday, 8 November 1886, an entry in the club's official minute book states: Proposed and seconded that the colours be chocolate and sky blue shirts and that we order two dozen. Proposed and seconded that Mr McGregor be requested to supply them at the lowest quotation. The chocolate colour later became claret.
No-one is quite sure why claret and blue became the club's adopted colours. Several theories abound. One such theory suggests that a meeting of the club's directors took place in the Barton's Arms public house in Newtown, Birmingham. One item on the agenda was the club's colours. The directors could not decide but noticed that the pub had blue and red tiles on the wall. These colours were adopted with the red changing slightly to claret. The tiles can still be seen in the pub to this day. Another theory suggests that the Scottish connection with the early years of the club being so great (e.g. George Ramsay and William McGregor) that the club adopted the colours on the coat of arms of the Duke of Edinburgh (claret and blue).
Despite the fact that Villa won the European Cup in 1982, they have not had the opportunity to wear the star on the shirt that other winners have been able to. This is due to F.A. rules forbidding the star to be worn in domestic competition. Since Aston Villa have not been in European competition since this new tradition was adopted, they have not been allowed to wear the star. There is hope that a European place in the 07/08 season will allow the star to be present for the 25th Anniversary of Villa's title win.
|