Surely no football ground can have such a rich and  varied history as Villa Park.  Originally known as Aston Lower Grounds it was the  site of a Victorian amusement park.

I could not do the ground justice in the few words that I have here.    For a complete history of Villa Park I reccommend Simon Inglis' book, "Villa Park,  100 Years."  ISBN 0-946866-43-0. Published by Sports Projects, priced  £24.95.

Villa played their first few games in  parkland around Aston Hall before moving to Perry Barr where they played their games for  20 years.  Villa moved to a purpose built stadium ar the Lower Grounds, on a pitch  that had originally been a boating lake in 1897.  Their first game there was on  Easter Saturday, 17 April 1897 versus Blackburn Rovers. A cycle track ran around the  outside of the pitch, there was a stand which seated 5,500 with standing room for 4,500 in  front, and room for 8,000 on the Trinity Road side of the ground.

Still refered to as the Lower Grounds, the name  "Villa Park" came into being simply by popular useage. There  was certainly  no official decision to change the name by the club.

However here a just a few of the more  interesting facts

• It has hosted lacrosse games played by the Iroquois  Indians from Canada, England versus Australia cricket matches and bike races.
• Villa's first game at the Lower Grounds was a  friendly against Blackburn.
• Villa were charged 250 pounds per year rent but with  an option to buy within 21 years at five shillings (25 pence) a square yard.
• Also on the original site were an aquarium,  a  skating rink and a restaurant. Some of these were turned into offices (now demolished).
• The pitch is on the site of where the boating lake  was!
• Until 1914 a concrete cycle track surrounded the  pitch.
• The Trinity Road stand was built in 1922 but it's  official opening was delayed after arguments with builders.  The Duke of York (later  King George VI) finally conducted the official opening ceremony.
• The Holte End banking was built up and finished in  1940.
• The Trinity Road Stand was re-fitted as an air raid  shelter and
  a rifle company occupied the home dressing room.
• Floodlights were first used in 1958.  These  developed into the now infamous (and sadly replaced) "A V A V" lights that could  be seen from the city centre.
• The Holte End was covered in 1962 at a cost of  £40,00. At one time it was the biggest Kop in the country.
• Villa Park hosted games for the 1966 World Cup with a  new Witton Lane Stand built especially.
• The North Stand was built in the late 1970s, but  financial "errors" saw the club in hot water over the fact that, it is alleged  that a 250,000 bricks went "missing".
• The Holte End is the largest goal end-stand in  Europe! It holds 13,600 spectators.
• Undersoil heating was installed at Villa Park in June  1996.