Frederick Rinder

Frederick W. Rinder (1858 – 25 December 1938) a Liverpool-born surveyor, who became an Aston Villa committee member in 1881 and later chairman. Known as the 'Grand Old Man of Aston Villa'; he is widely regarded as one of the greatest football administrators.

Rinder became the club's financial secretary in 1892, and immediately set about installing turnstiles at Villa's Perry Barr ground, gate receipts immediately increased from £75 to £250. He introduced many other good business practices to the club. It was his idea to make Aston Villa a limited company. Rinder was also the instigator of the infamous Barwick Street meeting in February 1893, at which he swept away the men who were running Villa into the ground, criticizing the board's tolerance of ill discipline and players' drinking. The following season saw Villa win their first League Championship.

Rinder later planned the expansion of Villa Park to a capacity of 120,000 plus, but the Great War interrupted the plan.

He became chairman in 1898 and remained in the post until his resignation in 1925, when he stepped down largely due to the criticism he received for the spiralling cost of the Trinity Road Stand. However, Rinder's view was that nothing but the very best was good enough for Aston Villa with its stained glass, mosaics and grand frontage. His vision was vindicated by the fact that the stand was generally regarded as one of the finest in the world for over 70 years. It was finally pulled down in 2001.

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