The Spirit of 82'

27 June 2013
Villa And Lambert Part Ways

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has left the club by mutual consent following a disappointing season in charge of the Birmingham side.
Villa struggled for much of the campaign, finding themselves dropping in and out of the relegation zone on multiple occasions. The Villain's did undergo a revival in the final six weeks of the campaign, going eight games unbeaten, ensuring their Premier League survival for another year and clinching a 15th place finish. Villa owner Randy Lerner has sent a statement from his Cleveland, Ohio home saying that such mediocrity would no longer be tolerated at Villa Park as the 50 year old philanthropist has seen his side flounder since Martin O'Neill lead them to three consecutive sixth place finishes, two visits to Wembley and European football before his departure in 2009, the team regressed under O'Neill's replacement Gerard Houllier, finishing ninth and being dumped out the League cup in the quarter finals by hated rivals Birmingham amidst scenes of off-field violence. Lerner would cause a major supporter uprising when Houllier stepped down due to health reasons, only to be replaced by Birmingham's Alex McLeish, prompting the burning of effigies of both McLeish and Lerner outside the Villa Park gates.

McLeish failed to win around supporters, Villa narrowly avoided relegation to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1987, Lerner was heavily criticised by supporters for allowing McLeish to remain in charge as long as he did after the Scot secured only seven wins all season. The former Rangers man was eventually shown the door last summer to be replaced by Norwich manager Lambert, who despite a run to the League cup Semi-finals only managed one better than McLeish's 16th place finish the previous season.

In truth O'Neill's short lived revival was just a short burst of sunshine through a dark cloud that has hung over Villa Park for years now, Their last silverware came back in 1996 with a League cup victory under Brian Little, John Gregory promised a revival in the late 90's when he lead them to the last eight of the UEFA cup an FA cup final and had the Villans topping the Premier League for most of the 1998/99 season before the eventually collapsed, allowing Manchester United to collect the first trophy of their famous treble that season. Villa's most famous night in 1982 when the beat Bayern Munich in Rotterdam to lift the European cup is now over years past, the claret and blue half of Birmingham is crying out for a return to their glory days. Can Lambert's successor deliver?

3rd July 2013
Dublin Handed Villa Park Reigns

Aston Villa have confirmed the surprise appointment of former fan Favorite Dion Dublin as their new manager following the departure of Paul Lamber last week.
Dublin spent six years with the Villains between 1998 and 2004, making 155 appearances and scoring 48 times in claret and blue after joining from local rivals Coventry City for £5.75M.
Dublin was revered by the Villa park faithful for his work rate and passion for the club, in 1999 the England international, who won four caps for his country, sustained a life threatening broken neck in a game with Sheffield Wednesday, incredibly Dublin was back on the pitch just three months later, helping Villa to their first FA Cup final since 1957 by scoring in a penalty shootout against Bolton Wanderers in the Semi-final.

Dublin's reputation as a model professional was tarred somewhat by his infamous headbutt of Birmingham City captain Robbie Savage as the two sides met in the top flight for the first time in fifteen years, Dublin quickly apologised to Savage and the pair have gone on to become colleges at the BBC as pundits.

For the past year Dublin has been studying for his UEFA coaching licence whilst working alongside Villa youth team manager Gordon Cowans as his assistant coach. The 44 year old will be seen as a risky choice by Villa owner Randy Lerner who has induced the supporters fury before with unpopular appointments, however it seems likely that a Holte End favourite such as Dublin will be given time and support by the faithful.

6th July 2013
Major Shake-Up At Villa Park

Paul McGrath

New Aston Villa manager Dion Dublin has wasted no time in ringing the changes amongst his backroom staff at Villa Park with no fewer than eleven members of predecessor Paul Lambert's coaching and scouting teams departing as Dublin brings in his own advisor's.
Most high profile are the sackings of assistant manager Ian Culverhouse and coach Gary Karsa who both joined Villa from Norwich along with Lambert last year.

In their stead Dublin has promoted Gordon Cowans from reserve team manager to first team assistant with Tony McAndrew taking over the second string and Ben Petty advancing to youth team manager after having being assistant to McAndrew previously.
There have also been new additions to the ranks with 1982 heros Allan Evans and Nigel Spink returning as coaches, Evans, a Villa player between 1977 and 89 was assistant to Brian Little during his tenure with the club in the mid-90's, Spink is a true Villa legend after being forced to replace Villa's first choice keeper Jimmy Rimmer just 10 minutes into the 1982 European cup final at the age of 18, having made just one previous senior appearance, Spink performed superbly, performing a catalogue of spectacular saves to deny Bayern Munich and clinch the trophy for Villa, Spink went on to make 361 apperances in the subsequant 19 years at the club before becoming a goalkeeping coach at the likes of Birmingham City, Sunderland and Wigan.

Nigel Spink (right) with goalscorer Peter Withe.

Villa Supporters will also be delighted with the return of perhaps the clubs all time favourate son, Paul McGrath, who is still affectionately referred to as 'God' in the Holte End after establishing himself as a club great between 1989 and 1996, winning the League cup twice and finishing runners-up in the 1992 Premiership season. Alcohol problems have long blighted the former Republic of Ireland defender though, he once boasted of marking Alan Shearer in his prime whilst intoxicated and still keeping a clean sheet. With McGrath now sober he has been offered the job of director of football at Villa park, helping Dublin with his own transition into management.

Dion Dublin has today confirmed he intends to stand by the clubs policy of developing it's own stars via our successful youth academy.
When asked if he intends to radically overhaul his playing staff, Dublin responded with "I won't be rushing into anything, we have a good set up here and it would be foolish of me to go splurging money on players when there could well be a young lad amongst our own ranks who just needs a chance, as such I won't be buying or selling this summer, instead I will wait until the Winter transfer window, by which time I will have had opportunities to fully assess what we have at our disposal at all levels and make educated decisions rather than throwing money at the wall which the club has been guilty of under previous regimes in the past couple of decades."

Dublin should have plenty of food for thought amongst the youth ranks after our success in last seasons NextGen tournament, where Villa triumphed last year, beating the likes of Ajax, Sporting CP, Olympiakos and ultimately Chelsea along the way with the likes of Graham Burke, Mickey Drennan, Samir Carruthers and Jack Grealish all showing signs of immense promise.

In recent years Villa have produced many players who have gone on to represent their International sides, Gabby Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry, Darius Vassell began their careers with the club before earning England caps as well as Ciaran Clark (Rep. Ireland) and Andi Weimann (Austria).

Had a great game with Villa earlier on in the year, looking forward to this!

Thanks Sean, yeah Villa are usually good for a fun save, lots of young exciting players amongst the ranks.

With the 2013-14 season almost upon us, time now to turn our attentions to our obligatory annual preview of each of the twenty competing entities in this seasons Barclay's Premier League, this week we look at the chances of Aston Villa.

Goalkeepers

American international Brad Guzan (pictured) will surely be Villa's number one again this season, the Texan started all bar two of Villa's league games last season, playing a major part in the Villains survival and earning himself the supporters player of the year award for his contributions. Shay Given is unlikely to be content with another season warming the bench after only featuring in the cups and a couple of league appearances whilst Guzan was on International duty, Villa will likely consider the former Newcastle hero surplus to requirements and be anxious to shift his hefty £52kpw wages should anyone else come in for the Republic of Ireland international.
In reserve Villa have England under-21 Jed Steer who could well take Given's place as Guzan's understudy this season, Swiss youngster Benjamin Siergrist has joined Oldham Athletic on loan for the season.

Defenders

The arrivals of Danish international Jores Okore to replace the high earning and calamity prone Richard Dunne is seen as a shrewd piece of business by the outgoing Paul Lambert, likely he will be new man Dion Dublin's chosen partner for club captain Ron Vlaar(pictured), the big Dutchman will be looking to secure a place in Louis Van Gaal's plans for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil so much is expected of the former Feyenoord man. Dublin also has academy products Nathan Baker and Ciaran Clark should injury or suspension strike Vlaar or Okore in central defence, both of whom show promise, although Clark's future may well be in midfield as opposed to defence.
The fullback positions also seem well stocked with Matthew Lowton and Alan Hutton on the right, although Dublin may try to remove £45kpw Hutton from the wage bill as for that money he could do better, Lowton however seems a good prospect, adept at both going forward and staying back to break up opposition attacks. Antonio Luna will compete with Chelsea loanee Ryan Bentrand for the left back spot, the Spaniard arrives from Sevilla for what could be a bargain £1.5m, Bentrand will be hoping to establish himself during his loan spell in the Midlands and impress Roy Hodgson ahead of Brazil 2014, having already won two England caps.

Midfielders

Villa possess plenty of options in the middle of the park and could easily field a five man midfield if required, Ashley Westwood showed great composure whilst dealing with a huge step up from League One to the Premiership last season after Alex McLeish paid the Railwaymen £800k for the 23 year old. Fabian Delph(pictured) will be looking to prove that he can still be the player we all thought he could become when he first burst into the Leeds United side in 2007, like Westwood, Delph is a box to box type midfielder with great stamina and enthusiasm for the game as well as being a threat from distance.
Should Dublin opt for a five man midfield it will likely be either Frenchman Yacouba Sylla or Morrocan Karim El-Ahmadi who joins Westwood and Delph to act as a anchor man, freeing the other two more adventurous midfielder to get further forward, although young guns Leandro Bacuna and Gary Gardner will also be pushing for starting places this season. Australian Chris Herd will likely play the part of squad player due to his versatility he can play anywhere across both defence and midfield.

Amongst the youngsters who could see action this year, Irish youth international Samir Carruthers looks a potential star, as does young Jamaican Daniel Johnson, although both are currently on loan in Scotland at Dundee and Livingston respectively.

Forwards

Christian Benteke will undoubtedly be Villa's spearhead again this season, the Belgian almost single handedly kept Villa in the Premiership with his 19 goals last term,attracting plenty of interest from bigger teams in the process. If Dublin sticks by the 4-3-3 which saw the Villains finish last season with an eight game unbeaten run, Benteke will be partnered by long serving fan favourite Gabby Agbonlahor and Austrian international Andreas Weimann(pictured), both of whom cause problems with the pace, however their finishing was less than prolific last season with sixteen goals between them. Czech forward Libor Kozak is a new addition from Lazio, at 6'4" he should pose a real threat at set pieces, Nicklaus Helenius is another new addition although he may well play deeper than the more conventional strikers.The experienced Grant Holt will provide back up should injury befell the other forwards, he is on loan from Championship side Wigan.
Out wide Marc Albrighton and new Bulgarian signing Aleksander Tonev will be expected to provide width if Villa play with wingers this campaign.

The Villains have plenty of youngsters vying for a first team chance up front, Jordan Bowrey has already made ten apperances although he is yet to find the net, Callum Robinson and Mickey Drennan were heroes of the NextGen championship win and could well be rewarded this term.