Villa open the season with a draw at Goodison as John Fashanu scores on debut.

Left back Phil King, 27, makes his debut in a Villa after moving from Sheffield Wednesday for a fee of £250,000 earlier this month to become the 696th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Forward John Fashanu, 31, makes a goalscoring debut after joining from bogey team Wimbledon for a fee of £1,350,000 earlier this month. Fash becomes the 697th, and one of the least expected, players to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Dean Saunders contributes his 40th goal involvement on his 97th appearance in a Villa shirt (96 Starts) to make it W45 D27 L25, 33 Goals and 7 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.43 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Garry Parker makes his 100th appearance in a Villa shirt (98 Starts) to make it W43 D27 L30, 13 Goals and 6 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 5.26 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Former Villa centre forward Paul Rideout puts Everton ahead on 70’.

Villa open the season with successive Premier League draws under Ron Atkinson as Dean Saunders scores his second in two games.

Including the end of the 1993-94 season, Villa under Ron Atkinson had now won just 2 of their last 14 Premier League games.

Earl Barrett makes his first appearance as a substitute following 116 Starts in a Villa shirt.

Villa win the first time this season and for the 3rd time in their last 16 Premier League games under Ron Atkinson. 

Villa are unbeaten in their last 5 games under Ron Atkinson. 

Dean Saunders makes his 100th appearance in a Villa shirt (99 Starts) to make it W46 D29 L25, 34 Goals and 7 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.44 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Having taken until the final day of the previous campaign to score his first League goals, Dwight Yorke scores his first for the 1994-95 season on his 4th appearance to make it 115 Appearances, 78 Starts, W48 D32 L36, 30 Goals, 13 Assists and 2 Bookings at a goal per game rate of one for every 3.83 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Andy Townsend secures his 25th win in a Villa shirt on his 51st appearance to make it W25 D13 L13, 4 Goals, 9 Assists and 5 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Ugo Ehiogu makes his 25th start in a Villa shirt (38 Appearances) to make it W17 D9 L12, 1 Assist and 2 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa extend their unbeaten run to 6 as they win successive games for the first time since February under Ron Atkinson.

Dean Saunders makes his 100th start in a Villa shirt (101 Appearances), scoring his 35th goal and contributing his 8th assist to make it W47 D29 L25 at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.35 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Dalian Atkinson contributes his 20th assist in a Villa shirt on his 96th appearance (91 Starts) to make it W44 D29 L23, 29 Goals and 20 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 1.96 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Steve Staunton scores his 10th goal in a Villa shirt on his 131st appearance to make it W60 D36 L35, 10 Goals, 16 Assists and 4 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa suffer a narrow defeat in the UEFA Cup 1st Round at the San Siro to a disputed Dennis Bergkamp penalty as John Fashanu shocks the Italians with his centre circle kung-fu warm up.

Villa face self confessed Villa fan Gianluca Pagliuca in the Inter goal.

Holders Villa hammer bottom tier side Wigan in the 2nd round of the League Cup.

Midfielder Nii Lamptey, 19, makes a goalscoring debut in a Villa shirt after joining from RSC Anderlecht in August 1994 to become the 698th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football. Lamptey, allegedly unable to read or write, had arrived at Villa through the machinations of an errant agent and as a result a very confusing career began.

Dalian Atkinson contributes his 50th goal involvement on his 99th appearance in a Villa shirt (93 Starts) to make it W45 D29 L25, 31 Goals and 20 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 1.94 games he has played so far in his Villa career. 

Dwight Yorke contributes his first assist in 38 games and secures his 50th win in a Villa shirt on his 118th appearance (81 Starts) and make it W50 D32 L36, 31 Goals, 14 Assists and 2 Bookings at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.62 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Another great European night at Villa Park as Villa beat Italian giants Inter to square the tie and win the resultant shootout thanks to Phil King's winner on a raucous late September evening.

Ray Houghton scores his 10th goal in a Villa shirt on his 95th appeaarance (86 Starts) to make it W42 D27 L26, 10 Goals and 14 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 3.96 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Earl Barrett makes his 125th appearance in a Villa shirt (124 Starts) to make it W57 D33 L35, 2 Goals and 1 Assist so far in his Villa career.

Villa's European heroics leave a hangover as they suffer a third successive Premier League defeat to fall to 12th in the table.

After starting the season unbeaten in the league for 5 games, Ron Atkinson’s Villa had now lost three, scoring once.

Earl Barrett makes his 125th start in a Villa shirt (126 Appearances) to make it W57 D33 L36, 2 Goals and 1 Assist so far in his Villa career.

Villa record an 8-0 aggregate victory over Wigan in the League Cup as the mercurial Nii Lamptey hits a brace.

Goalkeeper Michael Oakes, 20, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining as a trainee and signing professional forms in July 1991 to become the 699th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Nii Lamptey scores a brace on his 4th appearance in a Villa shirt (2 Starts) to make it W2 D0 L2, 3 Goals and 1 Booking at a goal involvement rate of one for every 1.33 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

After starting the season unbeaten in 5, Villa have now lost their last 4 Premier League fixtures under Ron Atkinson to slump to 14th in the table.

Guy Whittingham scores for the second successive game to make it five goals in a Villa shirt on his 25th appearance (19 Starts), W13 D3 L9, % Goals and 1 Assist at a goal involvement rate of one for every 3.57 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Dwight Yorke contributes his first assist in 37 Premier League games and his 15th assist in a Villa shirt on his 122nd appearance (85 Starts) to make it W51 D32 L39, 31 Goals, 15 Assists and 2 Bookings at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.65 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Villa stop a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats but are held at home by Norwich to leave them without a league win in five as they fall back to 16th in the table.

Garry Parker contributes his 20th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 107th appearance (104 Starts) to make it W46 D29 L32, 13 Goals and 7 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 5.35 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Villa face Trabzonspor for the first time in competitive football, Trabzonspor become the 134th team that the Villa first team has played in League or Cup football, Villa’s 20th continental European opponents and their third from Turkey following Fenerbahçe and Besiktas in previous campaigns.

Villa suffer a narrow defeat in the away leg of the UEFA Cup 2nd Round

Villa concede in the second minute and never recover as they fall to their fifth defeat in six winless Premier League games as they remain in sixteenth but Ron Atkinson remains optimistic that having played "some of our best football ever" the results will start to flow.

Ray Houghton makes his 100th appearance in a Villa shirt (90 Start) to make it W42 D28 L30, 10 Goals and 14 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 4.17 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Future Villa winger Steve Stone scores for Forest in the 70’ minute to condemn Villa to defeat whilst future Villa centre forward Stan Collymore also lines up for Forest.

Despite victory in the away leg Villa exit the UEFA Cup on away goals to Trabzonspor after conceding at the death at Villa Park.

Paul McGrath makes his 250th appearance in a Villa shirt and makes it W107 D64 L79, 8 Goals, 9 Assists and 9 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Kevin Richardson secures his 75th win in a Villa shirt on his 170th appearance to make it W75 D44 L51, 16 Goals and 17 Assists so far in his Villa career.

Villa put in a performance but lose yet again to make it seven defeats in eight Premier League games under Ron Atkinson but perhaps the boss doesn't help his cause when referring to "parasites" in his post match interview.

Villa remain in 19th place of 22 teams in a season where the bottom four will be relegated to Division One. 

Future Villa boss Steve Bruce and assistant manager Roy Keane line up for Manchester United.

Villa lose for the 8th time in their last 9 Premier League fixtures under Ron Atkinson to remain in 19th place of 22 teams in a season where the bottom four would be relegated to Division One. 

Villa fall behind within ten minutes, recover to be leading by 38’ before Andy Townsend is sent off two minutes later. Being down to ten men didn’t stop Villa opening up a 3-1 lead shortly after half time before a bizarre incident as referee David Elleray - never a subtle individual - sends Townsend off for a second time as the midfielder tried to take a seat with the substitutes. That proved the trigger for the fightback as Wimbledon scored three including a last minute winner to condemn Villa to an eighth defeat in nine Premier League games under Ron Atkinson.

Even so few expected what was to happen next as Chairman Herbert Douglas Ellis exacted a long simmering revenge for what he saw as the dismissive and flippant attitude to the his embarrassing pomposity and sacked Ron Atkinson. In doing so Ellis could only reference results, avoiding mentioning the continued high standards of performance even during the fallow period following Villa’s famous victory over Inter Milan just weeks before.

Atkinson’s departure was predictably far from universally welcomed and the charismatic boss still had plenty of credit left from his Premier League Runners Up achievement in 1992-93 and League Cup win in 1993-94. Atkinson’s team however was showing its age and results were increasingly concerning. Although a shame for his reign to end this way, Atkinson is fondly remembered. 

Andy Townsend is sent off TWICE on his 66th appearance in a Villa shirt to make it W30 D13 L23, 5 Goals, 9 Assists, 10 Bookings and 2 Red Cards at a rate of a card every 5.50 games so far in his Villa career.

Kevin Richardson appears as a substitute for the first time in his Villa career after 171 starts.

Future Villa midfielder Øyvind Leonhardsen scores Wimbledon’s 89’ winner.

Villa line up for their first game since the departure of Ron Atkinson under the temporary stewardship of Jim Barron to win their first league game in 10.

Jim Barron, Atkinson's assistant for the last three years, sees Villa fire into a three nil lead within 27' before Spurs hit back but Dean Saunders has the last laugh as his 90' strike secures the points for the caretaker.

Despite the result the White Hart Lane match would prove to be Barron’s sole game in charge as new boss Brian Little was installed ahead of the following weekend’s fixture. 

Dalian Atkinson makes his 100th start in a Villa shirt (106 Appearances) to make it W48 D30 L28, 34 Goals and 21 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 1.93 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Dean Saunders scores his 40th goal in a Villa shirt on his 116th appearance (115 Starts) to make it W52 D30 L34, 40 Goals and 8 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 2.42 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Mark Bosnich makes it 9 goals conceded in his last 3 games as he concedes his 75th goal in a Villa shirt on his 73rd appearance (72 Starts) and for the first time in his career Bosnich has a concession rate above a goal a game and makes it W31 D18 L24, 75 Goals Conceded at a rate of 1.03 goals per game and 25 Clean Sheets (34%) so far in his Villa career.

Ray Houghton contributes his 25th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 105th appearance (95 Starts) to make it W45 D28 L32, 10 Goals and 15 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one for every 4.20 games he has played so far in his Villa career.

Graham Fenton scores his first goals of the season and what would prove to be the final two goals of the three he scored for the club in 39 appearances between 1994 and 1995.

Defender Chris Boden makes his first squad appearance for Villa having come through the youth team set up.

Future Villa centre back Colin Calderwood lines up for Spurs. 

Brian Little - one of Villa’s greatest ever players - takes charge of the team for the first time in his new role as Villa boss and sees Villa take the lead only to be pegged back by Wednesday to leave them with one Premier League in their last eleven.

Future Villa midfielder Ian Taylor makes a 81’ substitute appearance for Wednesday.

Holders Villa suffer the embarrassment of defeat to Palace in the League Cup despite Dalian Atkinson’s 5th goal in 6 games. 

Midfielder Dave Farrell, 23, is handed a rare start by new boss Brian Little in what proves to be his 8th and final appearance in a Villa shirt before moving on to Division Two Wycombe Wanderers in September 1995 for a fee of £100,000, leaving with a record of W3 D1 L4, 0 Goals and 0 Assists.

Ugo Ehiogu is sent off for the first time in a Villa shirt on his 57th appearance (44 Starts) to make it W23 D11 L23, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 6 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Villa have now conceded 14 in their last 5 games as Mark Bosnich makes his 75th appearance in a Villa shirt to make it W31 D19 L25, 81 Goals Conceded at a rate of 1.07 goals per game and 25 Clean Sheets (33%) so far in his Villa career.

In the latest example of poor business acumen and short sighted decision making, Villa are taken to the High Court after former club Leicester seek an injunction to stop Brain Little from working for the club. The real issue is money, more to the point the failure of the parsimonious Chairman to compensate the Foxes for Little’s move. Rather than do the decent thing Villa are forced to plead with Mr Justice Smith in the High Court doing no-one any favours.

Future Villa centre back Gareth Southgate, currently known as a midfielder, scores twice for Palace.

Brian Little returns to his former employers just two games after leaving them to join his boyhood club, Villa. 

But doesn't have to look too far to see nearly 20,000 reasons why he chose to leave as a laughable display of acrimony shouts small club mentality. 

Meanwhile, local pundits, who should know better, pile in on the 'dropped' Paul McGrath. 

Almost unnoticed however is Villa's 3 game Premier League unbeaten run since the departure of Ron Atkinson. 

Despite the relative upturn, Villa fall to 20th in the table.

Defender Chris Boden, 21, makes his sole appearance in a Villa shirt after joining the club as a trainee to become the 700th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football. Boden would move on to Derby County in March 1995 for a fee of £169,000. 

Bryan Small made his first start of the campaign having last played for Villa as a 46’ substitute in the final game of the 1993-94 season. 

‘Dropped’ Paul McGrath makes his first substitute appearance in a Villa shirt after 255 Starts to make it W108 D66 L82, 8 Goals, 9 Assists and 10 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Former Villa ‘keeper Kevin Poole, former Villa centre forward Ian Ormondroyd and former Villa midfielder Mark Blake line up for Leicester. 

Future Villa midfielder Mark Draper, future Villa winger Franz Carr and future Villa forward Julian Joachim also feature for the Foxes.

Villa make it three unbeaten under Brian Little but are yet to win under the new boss and remain 20th in the Premier League table 

Nigel Spink makes his 450th appearance for the club since his debut in December 1979 but narrowly avoids an unwanted memory as he charges from goal, misses the ball and only a Bryan Small goal-line clearance prevents disaster.

Centre Forward Guy Whittingham, 30, makes his 33rd and final appearance in a Villa shirt (23 Starts( before moving on to Sheffield Wednesday in November 1995 for a fee of £700,000. Whittingham had played for Villa between 1993-94 and 1994-95 and left with a record of W14 D6 L13, 6 Goals, 2 Assists and 1 Booking at a goal involvement rate of one for every 4.13 games he played in his Villa career. 

Nii Lamptey makes his 9th and final appearance in a Villa shirt before disappearing as quickly and strangely as he came. Lamptey left with a record of W4 D1 L4, 3 Goals - all against lower League side Wigan - and 3 Bookings. Not the oddest signing in Villa’s history but certainly up there.

Kevin Richardson makes his 175th appearance in a Villa shirt to make it W76 D46 L53, 16 Goals and 18 Assists so far in his Villa career.

Former Villa centre forward Paul Rideout lines up for Everton.