Charlie Athersmith
Charlie was a regular with Aston Villa during their glory
days in the 1890's, He was said to have great pace and a eye for goal.
Charlie was the right winger when Villa lost to the Salmoners in 1893
he scored the fourth and Villa's final goal of the game to set up the
tense finale.
During his time with Aston Villa Charlie won 5 League Championship medals
and 2 FA cup winners medals during a 7 year spell when Villa completely
dominated English football, this included the "Double season"
of 1896/7.
He joined Villa from Unity Gas depot in February 1891 and made a total
301 appearances for them scoring 86 goals, he also won 12 caps for England
between 1892 - 1900.
He left Villa in 1900 to join Small Heath for whom he made 100 appearances
before retiring from the game in 1905.
Legend has it that during one of Villa's games played in torrential
rain he played under a raised umbrella borrowed from a spectator and
even scored a goal, and there was nothing in the rules to say the goal
could not count!
