 Before the 1935–36 season, the team had been appointed by a committee and the team was coached by a "secretary" to the committee.The relegation though was largely due a dismal defensive record, they conceded 110 goals, 7 of them coming from Arsenal's Ted Drake in a 1–7 defeat at Villa Park.Villa came ninth in their first season in the Second tier of English football but they were crowned Second Division Champions in 1937–38 under the guidance of Jimmy Hogan.