 The Irons permanently adopted claret and blue for home colours in the summer of 1899 . Thames Ironworks right @-@ half Charlie Dove received the Aston Villa kit from his father William Dove , who was a professional sprinter of national repute , as well as being involved with the coaching at Thames Ironworks . Bill Dove had been at a fair in Birmingham , close to Villa Park , the home ground of Aston Villa and was challenged to a race against four Villa players , who wagered money that one of them would win . 
