According to a report in the Walsall Advertiser in January 1900 Arsenal were forced into the sale of Aston, one of their "most expensive players", due to a lack of funds.
[1] In November 1905 it was clear that Aston was not the force he once was, with newspaper reports pointing out that he had "long passed his best" whilst playing for Walsall.
[11] In April 1904, Aston's wife, Elizabeth, was awarded a maintenance order to help support their child after she left him because of his drunkenness and "persistent cruelty".
[13][14] After a warrant was issued when he failed to attend court in March 1906, Aston was again convicted of non-payment of maintenance and sentenced to a further four weeks' imprisonment.
[14][18] By April 1908 Aston was living at James Street, Ryecroft, Walsall, and found himself caught up in a midnight trespass into a fowl shed on Rushall Hall Farm.