1989–90 in English football for 19–year–old Leytonstone defender Warren Barton. 31 July 1989 – Norwich City pay Coventry City £525,000 for Welsh winger David Phillips. 3 August 1989 – Nottingham Forest pay Leeds United £650,000 for Republic of Ireland midfielder John Sheridan. 7 August 1989 – Everton sign Aston Villa defender Martin Keown for £750,000. 14 August 1989 – Adrian Heath returns to English football after less than a year in Spain when he joins Aston Villa from Espanyol for £360,000. 18 August 1989 – Property tycoon Michael Knighton agrees to buy control of Manchester United in a deal which is believed to be
Aston Villa F.C. in the 1870s time. Some football clubs, such as Calthorpe F.C. were considered too strong. Finally, in March 1875, Aston Villa was set for its first match. It was against Aston Brook St Mary's rugby team, with one half to be played under rugby and one half under the 'Sheffield Rules' laws of association football. Actually, this sort of arrangement was not too unusual in those days, with both games' laws being in their infancy. Villa managed to hold their opponents to a try-less draw at half-time, before triumphing one-nil after the second, football-rules, half. Scorer of Villa's first-ever goal was Jack Hughes.