On the morning of Saturday April 29th, 1899 the top of the First Division table looked like this:
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
PTS
|
GA
|
||
1
|
Aston Villa
|
33
|
18
|
7
|
8
|
71
|
40
|
43
|
1.775
|
2
|
Liverpool
|
33
|
19
|
5
|
9
|
49
|
28
|
43
|
1.750
|
In a thrilling climax to the season the two sides were due to play each other that afternoon at Villa Park.
Back in October Villa had beaten Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield.
There were unpleasant rumours circulating about the results of Villa's 2 previous games, in which they had beaten Notts County 6-1 and West Bromwich Albion 7-1.
Aston Villa
|
Liverpool
|
|
Billy George
|
G
|
Bill Perkins
|
Howard Spencer
|
RB
|
Archie Goldie
|
Albert Evans
|
LB
|
Billy Dunlop
|
Tommy Bowman
|
HB
|
Rabbi Howell
|
Jimmy Cowan
|
HB
|
Alex Raisbeck
|
Jimmy Crabtree
|
HB
|
Charlie Wilson
|
Charlie Athersmith
|
OR
|
Jack Cox
|
Jack Devey
|
IR
|
John Walker
|
Billy Garraty
|
CF
|
George Allan
|
Fred Wheldon
|
IL
|
Hugh Morgan
|
Steve Smith
|
OL
|
Tommy Robertson
|
Devey opened the scoring after 4 minutes and in fact all the goals came in the first half. Devey added a second. Freddie Wheldon and Jimmy Crabtree were the other scorers, Wheldon getting the third and fifth.
It was the first time in the 11 season history of the League that the title had been decided in this dramatic manner, and Mrs Bentley (wife of the President of the Football League ) was on hand to present the trophy to Jack Devey at the end of the match. Mr Bentley himself joked that he hoped Villa wouldn't loose this trophy (a reference to the theft of the FA Cup in 1895).
Aston Villa captain Jack Devey, 21 goals in 30 games in the 1898-99 season.
