Midlands’ trophy tally crowned: Aston Villa tops seven‑club ranking
Football League World has compiled a ranking of the seven most successful Midlands football clubs based on major trophies, placing Aston Villa at the summit with 21 honours, followed by Wolves and Nottingham Forest on nine each, and a further four clubs completing the list.
By Cameron Smith AM GMT+1, a writer for Football League World since May 2025, the article draws on his experience covering English football. He now lives permanently in Germany, having previously worked with the Express & Star, Walsall FC and Breaking Media. Smith also writes as a Bundesliga journalist for Bulinews.com, reporting on German football.
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Aston Villa tops the Midlands list
Aston Villa, founded in 1874, tops the ranking with 21 major trophies: seven league titles, seven FA Cups, five League Cups and two European honours. The club’s most recent addition came in May 2026 when Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendía and Morgan Rogers scored in a 3‑0 Europa League win over Freiburg, raising the tally from 20 to 21.
Wolves and Nottingham Forest share second place
Wolves have amassed nine major trophies, including three league titles (1953, 1958, 1959), four FA Cups (1893, 1908, 1949, 1960) and two League Cups (1974, 1980), largely achieved under manager Stan Cullis and featuring Billy Wright, the first player to earn 100 England caps.
Nottingham Forest also hold nine major honours: one league title (1978), two FA Cups (1898, 1959), four League Cups (the last in 1990) and two European Cups (1979, 1980). Their golden era was guided by Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, with John Robertson scoring the decisive goal in the 1980 European Cup final.
Derby County to Birmingham City round out the ranking
Derby County sit fourth with three major trophies – two league titles (1972, 1975) and one FA Cup (1946) – earned during the Brian Clough era and later under Dave Mackay.
Leicester City follow with five major trophies: three League Cups, one Premier League title (2015/16) and one FA Cup (2021), the Premier League triumph famously achieved under Claudio Ranieri.
West Bromwich Albion contribute eight major honours: five FA Cups, one League Cup and one top‑flight title (1920), the latter secured with a 104‑goal season.
Birmingham City complete the list in seventh place, holding two League Cup victories (1963, 2011). Their 2011 win featured an 89th‑minute goal by Obafemi Martins against Arsenal at Wembley.