An Aston Villa Love-in!

Writing a monthly article for Limelight provides the opportunity to wax lyrical regarding all things sporting which may (or may not!) interest the good-folk of Tamworth.

The Tamworth area is, of course, traditionally an Aston Villa stronghold and although other local clubs are supported by residents of the town, it is predominately Villa who dominate the conversation in the areas pubs, offices and factories.

So it is with absolutely no apology whatsoever that this month’s ramblings again feature the Midlands largest and most successful club!

Given the last two-year period (since Sir Unai arrived at Villa Park), it is difficult not to feature Villa regularly.  The club keep exceeding expectations and having  just beaten Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage, Emery’s men have made their best start to a Premier League Campaign since the heady days of John Gregory’s title chasers in 1998.

This has pushed the Villan’s back into the top 4 of the Premier League and a win at home against Bournemouth next Saturday (you will already know the outcome of the game by the time you read this!) could see Villa in top-spot for a while – the dismal, depressing Steven Gerrard era seems a lifetime ago now.

Has there ever been a more dramatic turnaround than the one Unai Emery has overseen in his (exactly) two-years in the job?  Villa were languishing outside of the relegation zone on only goal-difference when he arrived, - his transformation of more-or-less the same players Gerrard had failed with in driving the club to a 7th place finish and qualification for the UEFA Conference League, was nothing less than astonishing! But Unai hadn’t finished there!

Last season ended with a 4th place finish and qualification for the Champions League (along with reaching the semi-finals of the Conference League).

And so, to this season – As mentioned, as of writing this, Villa sit comfortably in the Premier Leagues top-4 and are very well placed in the new format Champions League, having won their first two fixtures which included a never-to-forget evening against European Giants, Bayern Munich.

On a magical night in B6; Villa repeated their 1-0 victory in the 1982 European Cup-Final against the Germans and dispatched the competition favourites with a stunning winner from super-sub Jhon

With many of the clubs hero’s from that ’82 game in attendance, both to watch the game and pay their respects to recently lost team-mate Gary Shaw, the script was written –  Villa’s blonde bombshell would’ve been smiling down as the capacity crowd sang his name throughout the night!

So – everything is rosy in the Villa garden – long may it continue!

PS – Fantastic to see Tamworth FC settling down in the National League.  Having endured a difficult start, their recent form has seen them move up to mid-table – Well-done to The Lambs!