Aitken was Carlton's inaugural VFL captain when the league formed for the 1897 season, replacing Tom Blake.

[2] He had been the club's vice-captain the previous season when they competed in the Victorian Football Association (VFA), and was elected captain before the start of the season, with a twelve to eight majority vote.

Aitken left the Blues midway through the 1898 season and joined Melbourne.

He was the first player in the VFL to play senior premiership matches for two clubs in the same season.

This Australian rules football biography of a person born in the 1870s is a stub.