How 130-year Grealish Family History is Entwined in Everton vs Aston Villa

When Jack Grealish takes to the field for Everton against Aston Villa on Saturday, the date will be three days shy of the 126th anniversary of his great-great-grandfather’s first winning goal in the fixture at Goodison Park. The Grealish family tale is entwined in this, the most played game in English Football League history.

It was September 16, 1899 that Billy Garraty found the net to earn Villa a 2-1 victory against Everton early on in a season which saw the team crowned champions in 1900 and seal a fifth title in seven years. Grealish’s ancestor ended the campaign as the leading goalscorer in the country, netting 27 times in 33 matches.

Garraty hit 112 goals in 260 appearances for Villa and is the ninth all-time top scorer in club history. The inside forward had a knack of scoring against the Blues and recorded a total of eight goals in 15 games against Everton. The most important came in March 1905 when Garraty notched the winner in an FA Cup semi-final replay on the way to Villa lifting the famous trophy.

In ‘Aston Villa: The Complete Record’ written by Rob Bishop and Frank Holt, Garraty is described as ‘an industrious, never-say-die inside or centre forward with magnificent energy who added a great deal of enthusiasm and hard work to the Villa attack in the first decade of the 20th century.’

It’s clear to see where Grealish gets his footballing talent which stems from his Mum’s side of the family. According to the England Football Online website, Billy Garraty’s daughter Lilian married Douglas Jones and their son married Jack’s grandmother who went on to have daughter Karen Burke, Jack’s mother.

The Grealish family are aware of Garraty’s achievements and standing in Villa history and, according to the Guardian, his portrait hangs on the wall of the family home.

Grealish’s Dad Kevin has previously joked: “Billy came from Karen’s side of the family and that has caused a few rows because her family keep telling us that Jack inherited skills from them!”

Garraty, who stood at 5’9, two inches shorter than his great-great-grandson, sported a striking handlebar moustache, very much of the time, and wore his shorts long over the knees and his socks pulled right up. It’s a very different look to Jack who pulls his socks down low and has set a a fashion on football fields across the country, and especially Merseyside since his loan move to Everton this summer.

So far in his career, Grealish has followed in his ancestor’s footsteps, reaching a Cup final with Villa while also winning the competition and league titles with Manchester City. Now, he will be adding to the Everton-Villa story in this historic clash between two English football heavyweights.

Grealish has been keen to gather more information about Garraty and said last year: “I don’t know a lot about him, apart from the fact he won the league and cup with Villa. I have no idea what happened to his medals. I’d love to know more about him.”

So, we’re flying back in time to profile Garraty’s illustrious career with a heavy focus on his performances for Villa against Everton during the turn of the century.

The story starts in 1878, the year of Everton’s formation as St Domingo’s, when Garraty was born on October 6 to parents Francis and Matilda in a back to back property at the rear of number 30 Dollman Street near Saltley.

Growing up, Garraty played for his school St Saviours and also appeared for a number of local clubs including Ashted Swifts, Highfield Villa, Aston Shakespeare and Lozells on the Meadow which would later form part of Villa Park. He was a member too of a Birmingham area team that faced the Scottish Juniors in the Junior International in 1896.

Having caught the eye as a youngster, Garraty was signed by Aston Villa in 1897 at the age of 18. In his first season with the club, the inside right made his debut against Stoke City on April 2, 1898 and also faced Liverpool two weeks later.

The next campaign in which Villa won the 1899 league title, Garraty played nine games and scored six goals, including a hat-trick in a 7-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on April 24, 1899. Nine days earlier, Grealish’s relative had made his first appearance at Goodison Park and went close to getting his name on the scoresheet in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw. Everton’s Scottish goalkeeper Willie Muir saved well to deny the frontman before Garraty put another shot wide of the post. Though he had been denied this time, Goodison was a stadium where Garraty would have much joy over the years.

It was in September of the 1899/1900 campaign that Grealish’s great-great-grandfather got the winner against Everton in a 2-1 victory. This was his second goal on the way to netting 27 times which would see him named the top scorer in England that season. Only Pongo Waring, who would also make three league appearances for Everton in the early 1940s, has scored more for Villa in a single campaign.

The Liverpool Mercury reported on the victory and wrote: “The visit of the Villa to the Liverpool district is always productive of a stir in football circles, and that of Saturday was no exception to the rule, for the attendance at Goodison park numbered close upon 30,000.”

Everton forward Wilf Toman had cancelled out Fred Wheldon’s opener in the first half but it was Villa and Garraty who grabbed the crucial second.

“The outside wingers were the pick of the Villa forward line. As a body they were inferior to the Everton van, but in this important respect they were vastly ahead, namely in provoking danger when near goal… Here the Villa held a district advantage Crabtree, Cowan and Bowman rendering excellent service though the former, in the first half particularly had his hands full with young Sharp. Further behind, Balmer and Molyneux shaped well, the latter tackling in splendid style the greater part of the game, and it was unfortunate that he failed to check Garraty from butting in the shot which won the match.”

In the season’s return fixture at Villa Park, Garraty started on what was a dull and gloomy day in the Midlands on Saturday January 13, 1900. The Athletic News reported that after Steve Smith had beaten Everton’s George Eccles down the wing, Garraty squandered a ‘splendid chance’ and skied the ball over the bar as Villa had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

That same month, Garraty scored the first-ever FA Cup goal at Villa Park in a first round replay against Manchester City. He is also said to have the distinction of scoring the last-ever goal at Wellington Road on the Perry Barr ground when Villa reserves beat Shrewsbury 1-0 in a Birmingham League match in April 1897; that’s according to the Evening Despatch.

Villa would go on to win 22 of their 34 league fixtures for the 1899/00 season, thanks in part to Garraty’s 27 goals and finished two points clear of second-placed Sheffield United to win the title. At the turn of the century, the Villans were very much the best team in the land having finished top five times during the first 12 seasons of the Football League.

Early on in the next season, the champions welcomed Everton to Villa Park on September 15, 1900 and it was the Toffees who won 2-1 courtesy of goals from Jimmy Settle and Joe Turner. Garraty had knocked on the door but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

“He tricked several of his opponents and finished with a good shot only just wide,” wrote one journalist at the game. “(Later on) neat football by Johnson provided Garraty with an opening, and he shot splendidly, but a foot too high.”

The Liverpool Daily Post added: “The home forwards were now having practically all the argument, and a long shot by Garraty went a yard outside.”

Four months later, on January 12, 1901, Garraty had found his shooting boots for the trip to Merseyside but could only muster a consolation at Goodison as Everton won 2-1.

The Sports Argus said of Villa’s goal scored on 38 minutes: “The Villa became very dangerous, and after Johnson had shot, Garraty met the ball and put it past Muir.”

Despite being praised along with team-mate Smith as ‘the best pair’ on the pitch, and commended for showing aggression in attack, Garraty and Co couldn’t find another goal and so it was the Toffees who took the two points for the win.

Garraty made 41 appearances during the 1900-01 season, more than any other Villa player.

For the 1901/02 campaign, Grealish’s ancestor missed the 1-1 draw with Everton at Villa Park on September 28, 1901 but was back in the thick of the action when the two teams met at Goodison Park on Christmas Day of that year. Garraty was on hand to level the scores on 48 minutes as his side claimed a festive 3-2 win on the road.

Everton led at half-time through Jack Taylor. However, early in the second half, left-half Walter Abbott slipped and allowed Villa in down the right. Joe Bache worked the ball beautifully past the halves and with a fine shot, hit the upright. In trying to reach the ball, Blues goalkeeper George Kitchen actually fell and so when the ball came out to Garraty, the forward scored with ease to level the scores.

Taylor scored again to put Everton ahead but Villa equalised through Alf Wood.

The Liverpool Mercury reported: “Worse for Everton was to follow, for Garrity rushed through and whilst Balmer was attempting to clear the ball squirmed backwards and almost caught Kitchen napping. In fact the custodian could only just throw away, and Clarke, who was waiting, had the ball at his toes and the Villa were ahead. Everton were practically beaten now, for only a few minutes remained for play, and though the home team made a great effort in the last minute they could not overcome the defence and fell by three goals to two.”

Garraty, who was now 23, had seven siblings and his father Francis was working as a railway engineer. His own career in football was blossoming and his next encounter with Everton came at Villa Park on October 18, 1902. Garraty got another winning goal.

Jack Bell had equalised for the Toffees to cancel out Micky Noon’s opener, which would prove to be the full-back’s only goal for Villa, before Garraty notched the crucial strike on 80 minutes.

The Argus reported: “The home lot went into it with a will and shots were rained at the visitors' goal without taking effect. After Wood had dropped the ball on the top of the net Garraty tested Kitchen with a beauty following a corner. Working their way along with vigour, Garraty, with a grand shot, struck the upright as the whistle blew.”

Then came the goal.

“After a strenuous attack Leake lifted the ball into the centre and Garraty headed it past Kitchen from the rush... the game was full of excitement now right up to the finish. The Villa quite deserved to win, and though Everton played clever for the ball the Villa showed a determined and vigorous front, and every man was a trier.”

The newspaper gave a nod to Garraty for his contribution and wrote: “The left wing pair, Clarke and Garraty, were certainly the more effective couple and the outside man ran and centred in something like the old Villa style. He was the best of the five, especially in the first half.”

All of the reporters present were swift to praise Garraty. The Lancashire Evening Post said: “Garraty was a tremendous worker and his goal was a splendid effort”, while Athletic News added: “The forward line as a whole showed vast improvement. Garraty being responsible for much of the dash infused into the work. He was always on the go, always eager, and always had a rasping shot whenever he got within range”.

Garraty’s impressive performances had caught the eye of the FA and he was called up to the England national team at the start of 1903.

Coincidentally, as Aston Villa beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park on February 14, the Three Lions played Ireland at Molineux that same day. However, Garraty was forced to withdraw having picked up an injury in a defeat away to Sunderland at the end of January. In his absence, the role on the right was filled by Everton’s Jack Sharp who scored in a 4-0 win.

Thankfully for Garraty, he had recovered in time for England’s match against Wales at Fratton Park on March 2. Starting the game, the forward lined up alongside Villa team-mate Joe Bache who netted the first goal as the Three Lions recorded a 2-1 victory.

John Sutcliffe of Millwall was in goal for England more than a decade on from playing for Bolton Wanderers in the final Everton home game at Anfield, as well as the first friendly at Goodison Park in September 1892. Former Blue George Molyneux, who was born in Kirkdale and made 45 appearances for the Toffees, also played for the Three Lions in Portsmouth.

Billy Meredith, who was born in Chirk, was in the Wales team that lined up against Garraty. Considered one of the first football superstars, the outside forward played 394 times for Manchester City and also made 335 appearances for rivals United.

It was a momentous day for Garraty, though despite his standing for Villa, the fixture would prove to be his one and only cap for the national team.

Garraty scored 15 goals in 26 games during the 1902/03 campaign as Villa finished a point behind champions The Wednesday.

Early in the next season, the forward appeared in Villa’s 3-1 home win over Everton.

Garraty tried to catch Kitchen out but the Everton goalkeeper was alert and punched the ball well out of danger, according to Sports Argus. The report continued: “The second half was started before 35,000 people. Jack Sharp, as before, soon struck out a line for himself but the Villa were sent off by Micky Noon’s clearance and some triangular trifling between Billy Brawn, Garraty and Joe Pearson kept Everton in suspense. Pearson finished the effort by shooting wide.”

Sandy Young scored the Blues’ consolation and both sides were lauded by the publication, with the reporter in attendance writing: “It was a beautiful display of football, played by teams who know the game. The home half-backs gradually settled down to their proper form and it was indeed a battle of giants. Two cleverer teams have not been seen in opposition in Birmingham for many years.

“Brawn was undoubtedly the best forward on the field, but he was not well fed, and had to make openings for himself. Garraty did his best for his brilliant partner but Pearson seemed to devote too much attention to Settle.

“Niblo improved in the second half, Garraty was always a trier and Johnson proved himself worthy of the first eleven. The home forwards persisted in their efforts and after both Brown and Garraty had tries, the Everton goal was subjected to a terrific bombardment.

“Garraty, who all along had been a troublesome player to Everton halves, put the ball out to Brawn, with the result that this speedy player ran round Crelly, and swung it across to Johnson, who completely defeated Kitchen. It was a capital movement, and deserved success, while at the same time, it apparently decided the game, for from this point onwards the Everton side played like a beaten team.

“The dash of the inside players, Johnson and Garraty, who rarely failed to take chances, stamped the forward line as capable of securing many succession.”

In the Goodison Park fixture, Garraty didn’t play and without him, Villa went down 1-0 to a third minute Jimmy Settle goal.

The next meeting between the sides occurred on September 12, 1904 and Garraty was involved a great deal at Villa Park but was denied by Everton goalkeeper Billy Scott.

The Liverpool Daily Post reported: “After the opening exchanges, the Villa moved down strongly on the left and Garraty, going at top speed, put in a splendid shot, which Scott fisted out. The next item of interest was a break away on the inside left which, scrimmage to Garraty who sent in a clever shot, which just topped the crossbar.

“Then, from a run down by Garraty, Bache put in a magnificent low shot, which brought Scott to his knees but the Irishman cleared brilliantly. A second later Garraty put one towards the corner of the net but Scott, throwing himself prone, saved at the expense of a fruitless corner.”

Despite the Everton stopper’s heroics to constantly halt Garraty, Villa clinched a 1-0 win in the 89th minute through Billy Brawn.

A month later, Garraty, rather fortuitously, finally got the better of Scott to put Villa ahead at Goodison Park but it wasn’t enough as Everton ran out 3-2 winners.

Grealish’s relative showed quick-thinking to score and the Sports Argus reported: “A sudden break away by Lockett caused a scamper towards Scott, and then Balmer, intercepting the Villa man’s centre, touched the ball to Scott but Garraty charged down the latter’s kick, the ball cannoning off his body into the net. Thus the Villa were in front. Everton for a moment seemed upset, but Taylor brought his men together.”

Six months later came one of the crowning moments in Garraty’s career as he wrote his name into FA Cup folklore. It started with Villa meeting Everton in the semi-finals at the Victoria Ground, home of Stoke City, in March 1905.

Looking ahead to the clash, the Liverpool ECHO declared: “Garraty is a rough diamond, the warhorse of the team. He goes for goal and adds that dash which is needed to make up a line mainly composed of men of tricky play at small build. Garraty plies his wing man persistently - half back, please note.”

The paper continued that Garraty was not a ‘star’ in the generally accepted sense of the word, something that cannot be said of Jack Grealish.

“Garraty is more of a go-ahead worker or ‘grafter’ and when he goes on the field it is to do his level best in a legitimate, whole-souled manner; to win if possible, to accept defeat gracefully if beaten.”

Sharing his story, the ECHO wrote: “A Birmingham ‘boy’, he was only eighteen when he first donned the claret and blue of the Aston combination. Strangely enough, Garraty first came into prominence in local football while playing on the very piece of ground now occupied by the Villa, but when Lozells leased the turf there was little in the way of stand accommodation, and the place had not been transformed into the splendid amphitheatre known to all and sundry of the football world. From the Lozells team he went straight into the Villa and it can safely be said that the directors have never once regretted their choice. By common consent he is one of the most genuine triers the Villa have ever possessed.”

The Staffordshire Sentinel added: “Garraty is one of the most experienced of the front rank, and though not fast as he once was, is still a valuable member of the team. Is always cool in front of goal, and often succeeds with a shot where a fussy man would fail. Critics are fond of describing him as a ‘plodder’.”

When it came to the game in the Potteries, there was a huge swaying crowd of 40,000 in attendance and it was noted that ‘Everton received a vociferous welcome, especially from the Stoke end of the ground’.

“By Jove. What a crowd,” wrote the Staffordshire Sentinel. “An hour before the kick-off, too! Except for some reserved vacancies on the grand stand and a few previous in the mountain of humanity at the town end of the ground every inch of space is occupied. Where are all the thousands still pouting on the ground through a score of turnstiles going to fix themselves? Talk about sardines in a box!

“Rattles and horns one can hear, and snatches of the ‘old bull and bush’ but the pervading sound is a dull murmur - a tangible solid sort of noise, pierced by the martial notes of the Artillery Band as it plays its quick steps round the cycling track, halting here and there for the delectation of a favoured section of the multitude. Excited, eager conversation is going on everywhere. It is the huge neutral element that is keeping the excitement in bounds. The partisans can be distinguished by the colours they affect. Strange as it may seem the Everton colours - blue and white - seem to be the more in evidence. Perhaps the unadorned are chiefly partisans of the Staffordshire team. So far as one can gauge the popular feeling, Everton are rather favourites.”

Villa took the lead through Albert Hall on 55 minutes and, still ahead with ten minutes remaining, their fans started to ridicule the Evertonians.

“The Villa supporters were not afraid that their team would lack staying power, and were confident of ultimate victory. The opening of the second half seemed to fully justify that confidence, for the Villa went off with just the same grand dash that they evinced in the first half. Their shooting was deadly, and for ten minutes Everton were penned in. Roose made some grand saves, but at length was compelled to concede a corner in saving a stinger from Garraty. Brawn took the place kick, and the ball went back to him. He returned it neatly on to the foot of Hall, and the latter banged it into the net amid deafening cheers. It was a magnificent goal and in every way a fitting ending to a superb attack.

“Then the death cards came round. They bore the inscription: ‘In loving memory of Everton FC, who died Saturday, March 25th, 1905 (on the Stoke Victoria Grounds), fighting for the English Cup.

‘Sweet little Toffee-men, the cup has fled, and you are numbered with the dead; The Palace gates are far away, but try again another day. Blessed are the Toffee-men which die in the field, for they rest from their labours.’

However, such mockery and joy was to be short-lived, reported the Staffordshire Sentinel.

“The jubilation of the Villa partisans proved to be premature for before the cards had been selling more than a few minutes Everton scored finely through Settle and the decision became quite another question again. It was fitting that it should be so for the match throughout was grandly fought.”

With the game ending in a draw, a replay was required and the two sides met again four days later, this time at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground. The victor would face Newcastle in the final after the Magpies had beaten The Wednesday in the other semi at Hyde Road in Manchester.

Harry Hampton scored on 18 minutes which saw Villa lead at half-time. Then came Garraty’s big moment to double his side’s advantage four minutes after the restart.

The Liverpool Evening Express reported: “The Villa were still in a dangerous mood, and the goal was the outcome of Balmer missing his kick. Garraty raced on with only Roose to beat, and he accomplished his task with ease.

The Daily News wrote of the goal: “Hampton was so hurried that he missed the ball in front of Roose. Not so Garraty, who fired high and obliquely into the left corner of the net. Roose having no chance whatsoever. Any other team but Everton would have given up the ghost. But not so the Light Blues. They had saved themselves for the second half and gradually they gained mastery over their opponents. The real revival came with 35 minutes to go, and in that time they gave the Villa defenders more work to do than they can have had in the whole previous rounds of the competition.”

Jack Sharp eventually scored for Everton on 65 but it wasn’t enough and Villa were through to the final thanks to Garraty’s winner.

The Liverpool ECHO reported in the aftermath of Villa’s triumph over Everton: “New Street Station rang with cheers when the train bearing the victorious team drew up on Platform 2. Long before the train arrived large crowds had gathered on the platform. The vaulted station resounded again and again with the cheers. There was a rush for the saloon in which the team travelled. The directors also came in for a great reception. In Stephenson Place the scene was still more animated. People went wild with their enthusiasm.

“Leake, whose wife had met him at the station, was recognised and borne along by a crowd of admirers, and his better half was left lamenting. Hampton came in for the greatest reception. He sought refuge in a cab but the driver found difficulty in starting. ‘Take the horse out’ was the repeated cry from the crowd, in whose eyes Hampton was indeed a hero. George and Garraty had great difficulty in getting through the crowd.”

Grealish knows all too well the thrill his great-great-grandfather will have felt from the adulation he received after being Villa’s hero and was mobbed himself by Evertonians after playing a starring role against Wolves last month.

There were 101,117 fans at Crystal Palace for the 1905 FA Cup final as Aston Villa beat Newcastle 2-0 to win the trophy for a fourth time. Though the win was sealed by a Harry Hampton brace, it was Garraty who was Man of the Match.

It was fitting that, 110 years later, Grealish also played a key role in sending Aston Villa to the 2015 FA Cup final where they would face Arsenal. The youngster played a key role in the 2-1 semi-final win over Liverpool just 12 days after making his first Premier League start.

Speaking ahead of the final, Grealish’s Dad Kevin said it was special that Jack was adding to the family’s FA Cup folklore.

“We’re a Villa family and Jack’s always had Villa in his blood,” he said. “It’s great that he might have the chance to repeat what his great-great-grandad did in the FA Cup with Villa.

“From what we know Billy Garraty was one hell of a player, so Jack’s got a hard act to follow - but he’s not bad himself!

“He’s desperate to beat Arsenal and as a family we’re all so proud of him.”

Sadly it wasn’t to be on the day as Villa lost 4-0 in the Wembley showpiece against the Gunners. However, Grealish would go on to lift the FA Cup like his ancestor, playing in the 2023 final as Manchester City defeated rivals United 2-1.

Back to Villa’s league battles with Everton and it was on September 23, 1905 that Garraty scored the second goal in a 4-0 league win over the Toffees. However, it took the forward a time to get going before he netted on the hour mark.

The Liverpool ECHO reported: “It was not long before the home forwards were in the vicinity of the Everton goal, and Garraty might easily have scored, but in his anxiety he sent the ball high over the bar… The Villa continued to hold a slight advantage over Everton and after a long spell of attack further success attended their efforts, Garraty heading the ball into the net. Scott just managed to touch the ball but did not arrest its progress. After this the Evertonians became very demoralised.”

The London Daily News reported: “Garraty is a consistent performer for Aston Villa this season,” while Athletic News said of Villa: “Brawn worked harder than usual, though the forwards par excellence in the game were Garraty, Hampton, and Bache, and none did better than that splendid veteran, William Garraty. There was a crowd of thirty thousand and they witnessed some good sport.”

Playing 33 matches and scoring 17 times, Villa’s 4-2 defeat to Everton at Goodison was one of the few games the inside forward missed that season. This had been another productive campaign but the 1905/06 season would prove to be the last in which Garraty played regularly for Villa.

Struggling for game time and with his influence seemingly on the wane, his first start of the 1906/07 season came against Everton at Goodison on September 22.

The Liverpool ECHO wrote that Garraty starting was ‘most astounding’ and added that his ‘presence will tend to make the attacking line heavier; the former forwards that have done duty have been noticeable for their slight build’.

The Sports Argus also penned: “Garraty may have had his day but at any rate he has also had experience and no doubt the directors thought that judgement, born of such, was a valuable adjunct in such an important match.”

Villa won the game 2-1 and, just like the 1905 FA Cup replay, Hampton put Villa one up before Garraty added a second.

The Sports Argus wrote: “Villa were distinctly the better side. Their forwards were nippy. In the second half the Villa were playing very near the top of their form and the Garraty goal was well earned. The game was contested in a spirited manner.”

The Birmingham Daily Post lauded Villa and said: “With the understanding between the men becoming more complete, this earnestness at endeavour is bound to tell its tale. The short and long passing, admirably mixed, puzzled the opposing defence, and when not in possession of the ball themselves the Villa men were quickly alongside their opponents. Every player on the side deserves a share of the praise for obtaining no notable a victory, and the only note of perusal reference that need be appended is to say that Garraty strengthened the right wing by his experience and judicious feeling.”

‘GARRATY SIGNALISES HIS RETURN’ was the Birmingham Daily Gazette headline and the story read: “The inclusion of Garraty in the team was a wise move on the part of the Villa selection committee, for no one works harder and more intelligently.”

Despite the Goodison heroics, Garraty would play only four more league games for Villa that season. Still only 28 when he was effectively dropped, he would be in his prime in today’s game. Great-great-grandson Grealish will have just turned 30 when Everton host Villa on Saturday and is very much at the peak of his powers.

By January 1907, Garraty was out of the team. In the matchday programme for the visit of Everton, the Villa icon’s name could be seen in a reserve line-up set to take on Crewe Alexandra who then were playing in the Birmingham & District League.

Despite the demotion, the inside forward actually made seven appearances during December and January of the 1907/08 campaign with the last coming in a 1-0 defeat at Goodison. Grealish’s relative had the chance to score in what would prove to be his final game at the ground but squandered the opportunity.

The Cricket and Football Field publication reported: “Robert Balmer stopped Garraty, who had gone centre right in the nick of time, and then the veteran Villa centre vexed himself by shooting high over from a nice range after his forwards had worked along beautifully for position.”

In March, Garraty featured in a 2-2 draw at Bristol City and it was this game that brought down the curtain on his glittering Aston Villa career.

A month later, Grealish’s ancestor married Annie Shufflebotham on April 4, 1908 at St Nicholas Church in Kings Norton, Birmingham.

Then, on September 7, 1908, the inside forward joined promoted Leicester Fosse for nothing. Garraty made six appearances for the team who would ultimately finish bottom and suffer relegation alongside Manchester City but actually spent fewer than two months at Filbert Street, joining West Bromwich Albion in the Second Division on October 30.

Moving to The Hawthorns for £270, which equates to around £15,000 in today’s money, it pales in comparison to the £100m Manchester City spent to sign his great-great-grandson a century later.

Garraty was now in his thirties but a success for West Brom, netting 21 goals in 53 appearances.

On November 23, 1910 at the age of 32, the inside forward joined Lincoln City, also in the second tier, for £100 and was permitted by the Sincil Bank club to remain living in Birmingham.

In 1911, Garraty retired from football. The register for electors for 1912/13 showed that the former player was landlord of the ‘Old Green Man’ pub. Based in the Bromford area of Erdington in Birmingham, it is now known as the ‘Lad in the Lane’. Dating back to the year 1400, it is considered to be the oldest house and pub in the city. He was also a publican at ‘The Navigation’ located in the same district.

Garraty had served as a trainer at Aston Villa between April and May of 1913 before becoming a drayman for Ansells Brewery, a job he held for the rest of his working life, though fell seriously ill with pneumonia during April 1915.

Looking back at Garraty’s life story, one of the more colourful incidents occurred in July 1904, when the inside forward found himself in trouble during the height of his Villa fame.

“I do know that Billy once got fined for poaching rabbits,” Jack’s Dad Kevin told the Daily Mirror last year. “Meat was rare in those days - even for footballers!”

The incident was reported in The Coventry Herald and Free Press under the headline: ‘FOOTBALLER’S PECULIAR TRAINING’.

“William Garraty, the Aston Villa and International forward, and two other Birmingham men, were summoned at the Coleshill Police Court on Wednesday for poaching on Lord Aylesford's estates,” read the report. “The offence alleged took place on the 3rd inst., the statement being that defendants spent many Sunday afternoons poaching in the district. Garraty denied the offence and said he was merely walking out to keep himself in condition. The defendants were fined 20 shillings and costs."

Billy had eight children according to BillyGarraty.com: Muriel, Nelly, Doris, Gwen, Fred (who was coincidentally know as Jack to the family), Eileen (known as Lilian) Cecil and Eric. The website reports that Billy’s wife Annie sadly passed away after the birth of their youngest child in 1926 and that same year, Garraty also lost his father Francis.

After a long and distinguished football career spent in Birmingham where he had brought up his family, Garraty died of pneumonia on May 6, 1931. He was 52. Buried at St. Saviour’s Church in Saltley, his grave is said to have unfortunately been destroyed during World War Two.

Overall, Grealish’s great-great-grandfather is a key figure in Villa history, scoring goals to win league titles and putting in a Man of the Match display in the 1905 FA Cup final.

One of the quotes on the website that bears his name reads: “An excellent goalscorer throughout his career, with his dashing moustache, Billy was an industrious, never-say-die utility forward.

“He could also play at right-half and centre-half, giving service from both positions and it has been said that he was one of the first great utility players. However, Billy always preferred to be ‘up front’ looking to score goals, and he did just that on a regular basis throughout his long career.”

On Saturday, his great-great-grandson will play in the Everton-Villa game Garraty had such an influence on during the turn of the century all those years ago.

However, Grealish and his great-great-grandfather aren’t the only family members to have links to the fixture. It was during half-time of Everton’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa in November 2015 that Jack’s Dad Kevin scored a penalty in a shootout on the pitch at the Park End.

Grealish and Idrissa Gana Gueye played against the Toffees that day but it was Kevin who gave the Villans something to cheer in the Bullens Road away end that day. Jack’s Dad had his own boots for the occasion and fired the ball past an Everton youth goalkeeper before punching the air and running to celebrate with Villa’s fans.

Stepping up alongside Villa legends Ken McNaught, who also played for the Toffees, and Tony Morley, who was born in Ormskirk and a boyhood Blue, Kevin beamed after converting his spot-kick and said: “It was a belter, right into the top corner!”

While Garraty and his Dad will forever be part of Villa folklore at Goodison Park, Grealish has the chance to be a Blues hero against his family’s beloved club at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.

Jack will write the next family chapter in the story of this iconic fixture, 130 years on from great-great-grandfather Billy. This time though, it will be for Everton.

**Credits and thanks go to EvertonResults.com, BillyGarraty.com and England Football Online while the newspaper excerpts were taken from the incredible Everton Chronicles at bluecorrespondent.co.uk.

An Everton season ticket holder and football writer, you can subscribe to all of Ell Bretland's work at https://ellbretland.substack.com