---
title: "Aston Villa host international match for the first time on this day in 1902"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2021/05/03/aston-villa-host-international-match-first-time-on-this-day-1902/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Crippy Cooke"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2021-05-03T16:04:37Z"
modified: "2021-05-03T16:04:38Z"
---

# Aston Villa host international match for the first time on this day in 1902

On this day (May 3) in 1902: Aston Villa hosted an international football match for the very first time – England v Scotland in the Home International Championship, replayed from April 5 after the [two sides drew 1-1](https://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1900-39/1901-02/UM013Sco1902.html).

The Three Lions drew 2-2 with the Tartan Army in front of [15,000 supporters](https://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1900-39/1901-02/M0076Sco1902.html) in May, and the game was the first time both sides featured exclusively professional players.

![](https://media.readastonvilla.com/readastonvilla/2021/05/Aston-Villa-OTD-1024x232.jpg)

From Brian Beard’s ‘Aston Villa On This Day – History, Facts & Figures from Every Day of the Year’

England didn’t have a manager at the time and were run by the [FA Select Committee](https://www.englandstats.com/man.php?manid=2) between 1872 and 1939. Against Scotland, William George, Robert Crompton, George Molyneux, Albert Wilkes, Frank Forman, Albert E Houlker, William Hogg, Stephen Bloomer, William E Beats, James Settle and John T Cox were chosen to start.

George and Wilkes were Villa players at the time too, so it would have been a special moment for the pair.

Scotland took the lead in the game through Bobby Templeton in the third minute before Ronald Orr doubled their advantage near the half-hour mark. Settle halved the deficit for England in the 65th minute and Wilkes equalised minutes later.

Scotland finished top of the [1901/02 International Home Championships](https://www.englandfootballonline.com/CmpBC/CmpBC1901-02.html) with five points from three games while England were second on four points.