Following the end of hostilities the Football League is reformed post WWI with Villa’s 1,025th League and FA Cup match coming 1,586 days or 4 years, 4 months and 3 days) since game 1,024. The Football League itself looks different as it is expanded to twenty two teams and for the first four months sees home and away fixtures being played on a head to head basis before games and opposition become more spread out from December onwards. Meanwhile, Villa open the season with defeat as full back Ernie Blackburn made his debut aged 27 despite having joined Villa from youth football whilst winger Dicky York also made his first appearance aged 20 having joined from Birchfield Rangers in March 1915 aged 15.