| Aston Villa Football Club (also known as The Villa, Villa and The Villans)[1] is an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, who play in the Premier League. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park |
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| Brad Fiedel. |
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| Friedel left UCLA early to pursue a professional career. He began by attempting to sign with Nottingham Forest F.C., but was denied a British work permit, |
| Friedel was signed by manager Kevin Keegan of Newcastle United, but was again denied a work permit. |
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| After the two tournaments, Friedel attempted a third time to join an English club, this time Sunderland. However, when Friedel again failed to receive a British work permit, his agent negotiated a $1.1 million transfer from USSF to leading Turkish team Galatasaray in 1995 |
| Liverpool decided to purchase his contract from the Crew for $1.7 million in 1997 after being impressed by his performances |
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| He was signed to Blackburn Rovers by Graeme Souness on a free transfer in November 2000 after a work permit was secured |
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| Memorable performances in goal for Blackburn include playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup Final in 2002 |
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| At the end of the 2002-03 season, Friedel was selected for the Premiership Starting XI for the fifteen clean sheets he kept, |
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| Blackburn Rovers were playing an away game against Sheffield United on September 9, 2006, in the Barclays Premier League as Friedel saved two penalties in this game |
| Friedel extended his contract with Blackburn Rovers on April 14, 2006, stating his love for the club as a reason |
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| Friedel had asked Blackburn Rovers for permission to let him speak with Aston Villa if an offer was accepted |
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| Aston Villa were holding talks with Brad Friedel on July 25. Friedel signed a three-year contract with Aston Villa the day after. |
| He made his debut against Reading on August 2 at the Madejski Stadium. Just ten minutes in the hosts were awarded a penalty which Friedel then saved |
| He broke the record for continuous games played in the Premier League on November 30, 2008, |
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| Friedel is the third most-capped goalkeeper in U.S. national team history |
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| Bradley Edwin Guzan |
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| On July 11, 2008, Aston Villa agreed a transfer fee in the region of £600,000, or $1.2 million, with MLS and Chivas USA to sign Guzan, |
| On August 1, 2008, Guzan was granted a work permit by the Home Office, allowing him to complete his move to Aston Villa |
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| Guzan made his Villa debut in September 2008, in the League Cup, at home to Queens Park Rangers. |
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| He made his European debut in the UEFA Cup game away at Slavia Prague on November 6, 2008. The match finished 1–0 to Aston Villa |
| He came on as a substitute against Liverpool after Brad Friedel’s red card. |
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| Guzan played in every game that Villa won during their successful Peace Cup campaign of 2009 |
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| Luke Young |
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| Young started his career playing for Tottenham Hotspur in 1997, making over 50 appearances |
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| He had made over 180 league appearances for Charlton |
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| Before Alan Curbishley left Charlton, Young had handed in a transfer request |
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| Young was signed by Middlesbrough for a fee of £2.5 million on a four-year deal in July 2007 |
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| Young played all but the first 3 games of the season and was nicknamed “Mr.Consistent” by Middlesbrough fans |
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| On August 7, 2008, Aston Villa completed the signing of Young in a deal that could reach £6 million |
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| He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 home victory over Blackburn Rovers, |
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| .A long term injury to first choice left back Wilfred Bouma has meant that Young has been switched to the left side |
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| Curtis Davies |
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| He wrote to every club in the local area, including Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall asking for a trial. Luton Town responded first |
| He made six appearances in the league during the 2003–04 season, with the away performance at QPR particularly good. |
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| The next season Davies only managed six games, and a goal in his final game at home to Millwall |
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| before his impressive displays saw him signed by then-Premier League side West Bromwich Albion on 31 August 2005 for a fee of £3 million |
| Davies had an impressive first season for West Brom, making 35 starts and scoring two goals. |
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| In 2006–07 Davies became West Brom captain on a permanent basis, having worn the armband on several occasions during the previous season |
| On 21 June, Davies had a transfer request rejected by West Brom. Davies subsequently handed in two further transfer requests, both of which were rejected |
| On 31 August 2007, Davies signed for Aston Villa on a season long loan, with a view to a permanent transfer in the summer of 2008. |
| Davies made his Premier League debut with Villa in the 2–0 home victory against Derby County on 3 November |
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| On 1 March 2008 Davies suffered a season ending ruptured achilles tendon against Arsenal in a 1–1 draw and was thought to be out for around six months |
| Davies captained Aston Villa for the first time on 6 November 2008, in the 1–0 UEFA Cup win against Slavia Prague |
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| He netted his first goal of the 2008-09 season in January 2009, helping his team to a 2–1 win against his former club West Bromwich Albion. |
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| Nicky” Shorey |
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| Shorey started his career at Leyton Orient as an apprentice in 1998,[ |
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| Shorey signed for Reading for an initial fee of £25,000 on 10 February 2001,[2] and quickly went on to establish himself as a regular in Reading’s first team |
| On 1 August 2006, he committed his future to the club, signing a new deal to stay at the club until June 2009 |
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| The Premier League 2006-07 season was an important one in Shorey’s career as it saw him achieve his first English international cap. |
| Given these feats Shorey was linked with a move to a number of other Premiership clubs at the end of 2006-07 season. |
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| Reading’s 2007-08 season relegation to the Championship resparked rumours Shorey leaving the club with Aston Villa and Portsmouth reportedly interested. |
| On 7 August 2008 Aston Villa completed the signing of Shorey on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee |
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| Shorey was at fault in Villa’s back four against Middlesbrough in November, making an error that helped hand Boro a 2-1 victory at Villa Park |
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| Habib Beye |
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| He joined Paris Saint-Germain in 1997, though he progressed no further than the reserve side, |
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| Following his summer move to RC Strasbourg in 1998, Beye made his league debut on 8 August 1998 in a home 0-0 draw against Olympique Lyonnais |
| Beye signed for Marseille in the summer of 2003 for a reported €2.5million, by then manager Alain Perrin |
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| He was also a beaten finalist in the 2006 French Cup against former club Paris Saint-Germain |
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| Beye signed for Newcastle United for a fee of £2million (€3million) on 31 August 2007, during the closing minutes of the summer transfer window |
| He made his Newcastle debut on 17 September 2007, as a substitute in Newcastle’s 1–0 defeat at Derby County |
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| His ability to defend well and provide a good outlet going forward have enamored him to the Newcastle faithfu |
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| On 22 May 2008 Beye was named Newcastle player of the season based on fan votes |
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| After missing the start of the 2008/09 season from injury, Beye started against Manchester City on 20 October 2008 |
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| , the continuing problems behind the scenes at Newcastle would lead to Beye stating that he would have to leave the club in order to save his career |
| Despite Hull City chairman Paul Duffen revealing the Tigers agreed a fee with Newcastle United to sign him on 6 August 2009,[11] it was announced the following day that Beye had signed for Aston Villa.[ |
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| Carlos Cuéllar |
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| Cuéllar began his career at fourth level side CD Calahorra |
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| He spent two seasons at Soria and, after a solid second year, moved to CA Osasuna in the top level. |
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| As Osasuna "dropped" to the UEFA Cup Cuéllar, by then not an automatic first-choice in the league, played seven times in European competition, |
| Scottish club Rangers F.C. made two offers for Cuéllar in June 2007 that were rejected by Osasuna, but the eventual transfer was completed on 5 July, for a fee of £2.37 million |
| Cuéllar continued to play well for Rangers, but he was sent off during a critical Old Firm match for handling a goal-bound Shunsuke Nakamura shot |
| As personal reward for what was an outstanding season, Cuéllar collected the Clydesdale Bank SPL Player of the Year award |
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| On 12 August 2008, Aston Villa signed Cuéllar in a deal worth £7.8 million on a four-year contract |
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| Cuéllar performed for Villa at the 2009 Peace Cup in his homeland. |
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| Wilfred Bouma |
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| Bouma started his career at amateur club SV Rood-Wit '62 before joining PSV on a youth contract in 1994 |
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| At PSV, he played as a left winger and as forward because of his quick pace and direct passing, teaming up with Arnold Bruggink |
| With the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers entering its crucial stages, Bouma was handed his international debut for the Dutch national team against the Republic of Ireland on 2 September 2000 |
| Just before the close of the international transfer window, Bouma signed for Aston Villa on 30 August 2005 for £3.5 million |
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| Under O'Neill, Bouma begun to flourish during the 2006–07 season |
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| On 9 February 2008, Bouma - who was in the process of making his 76th appearance in claret and blue - netted his first goal for the club in the 48th minute of the match against Newcastle United |
| Upon returning from international duty for the Netherlands at Euro 2008, Bouma participated in both legs of Aston Villa's Intertoto Cup third round tie against Odense |
| On 9 September 2008, Bouma signed a new two-year deal at Villa Park with the option of a third year. |
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| In January 2009 it was announced that Bouma, along with other long-term absentee John Carew, had returned to full training. |
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| Steve" Sidwell |
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| Sidwell was born in Wandsworth, London. He was part of the Arsenal youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2000 and 2001 |
| Sidwell moved to Reading for an undisclosed fee on a four-and-a-half year deal in January 2003 |
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| A vital part of Reading's Championship-winning 2005–06 squad, in April 2006 Sidwell was named in the Championship Team of the Year |
| In the summer of 2006, Sidwell rejected a contract extension |
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| Over the course of the season, he was linked with a number of high profile clubs |
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| Sidwell joined Chelsea on 1 July 2007 on a free transfer from Reading, |
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| he made his debut for Chelsea in a 2–1 win over Mexican side Club América in a friendly match in Stanford, California, |
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| At the end of the 2007–08 season, Sidwell became linked to several Premier League clubs, including Everton, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.[13] |
| On 10 July 2008, Sidwell signed a three-year deal with Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £5,000,000 |
| Sidwell scored his third goal of the season just 34 seconds into the Premier League match against Everton on 7 December 2008. Villa won the match 3-2. |
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| Stewart Downing |
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| His debut came on 24 April 2002 in a Premier League game away at Ipswich Town |
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| A knee injury saw Downing sidelined for five months at the end of 2005 |
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| Downing has received criticism from both outsiders and a section of home supporters |
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| On 26 February 2008, Downing signed a new five-year contract, keeping him signed on at Middlesbrough until 2013 |
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| With the departure of Mark Schwarzer in May 2008, Downing became Middlesbrough’s second longest serving player after Brad Jones. |
| Downing’s former agent Ian Elliott was arrested by Cleveland Police on 3 September 2008 |
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| The 2008-09 season was a mixed one for Downing. Middlesbrough had their best start to the season in six years |
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| Following Middlesbrough’s relegation, Downing signed a four year contract with Aston Villa |
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| Ashley Young |
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| Despite having been turned away by Watford’s Academy after an unsuccessful spell, Young endeavoured to improve himself as a player |
| The 18-year-old was handed his first team début under Ray Lewington in September 2003, |
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| Under Aidy Boothroyd in the 2005–06 season, Young was given a new lease of life as a striker. |
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| Young began Watford’s 2006/2007 Premier League season well, scoring 3 times, including a last minute, long-range strike against Fulham. |
| An improved offer of nearly £10 million from West Ham United was accepted. However, Young rejected the move |
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| On 18 January 2007, Aston Villa had an £8 million offer (rising to £9.75 million with add-ons), accepted — the club’s record transfer fee |
| On 20 April 2008, Young scored 2 goals and assisted two goals for Aston Villa against Birmingham City at Villa Park |
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| In the 2007–08 Premier League season, Young finished second to Cesc Fàbregas in assists with 17 |
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| On 10 October 2008 Ashley Young won the Player of the Month award. |
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| On 7 December 2008 in the 3-2 win over Everton, Young scored two goals, one being an injury time winner |
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| Young appeared for Villa at the 2009 Peace Cup in Andalusia. He scored a header that was to be the third and final goal in a Group C match |
| As a result of his form for Watford during the 2005–06 season, in February 2006 Young earned a call-up to Peter Taylor’s England U21 |
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| James Milner |
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| Milner’s debut for Leeds United came on 10 November 2002 |
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| in a match against Chelsea a month later, Milner scored again, with a deft first touch of the ball and manoeuvre |
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| At the start of the 2003–04 season, Milner was sent on a month-long loan to Division Two side Swindon Town to gain experience as a first-team player |
| However, Leeds United’s fortunes were on the decline; the team became the subject of numerous negative stories in the media, and several first-team players were sold |
| Milner made his first appearance for Newcastle United during their pre-season tour of Asia, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Kitchee, |
| Milner’s first Premier League game for Newcastle came against Middlesbrough on 18 August 2004, |
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| However, the situation changed for Milner after Newcastle manager Bobby Robson, whom Milner considered his mentor, was sacked and replaced by Graeme Souness. |
| At the start of the 2005–06 season, Milner scored in Newcastle’s 3–1 away win against FK ZTS Dubnica in the Intertoto Cup, |
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| Milner made his Villa debut on 12 September 2005 in a Premiership match against West Ham |
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| Milner was generally seen as a positive signing in a season that was disappointing for Villa |
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| The newly-appointed Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder appeared to appreciate Milner’s ability more than Souness and expressed a desire that he remain a Newcastle player |
| Newcastle’s players and manager Glenn Roeder reacted positively to Milner’s return at the start of the 2006–07 season |
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| He also continued to make progress at international level, scoring the winning goal for the England Under-21 side in a 3–2 win over Switzerland |
| On 1 January 2007 Milner scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw with Manchester United |
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| In June, Milner competed for England at the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. |
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| In late October, he scored Newcastle’s 500th home Premier League goal in a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur |
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| After missing final nine games of the season due to a foot injury,[58] it was rumoured in May 2008 that he would be part of a trade between Newcastle and Liverpool |
| Milner made his debut for Villa on 31 August 2008 as a second-half substitute against Liverpool |
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| Milner’s first Premier League goal in his second spell at Villa came on 17 January 2009 in a match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light |
| in June Milner played for England in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Sweden. |
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| Fabian Delph |
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| Born in Bradford on 21 November 1989,[1][3] Delph started his career in football as a youngster at Bradford City. |
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| After a string of impressive performances in spring 2007, Delph was made captain of the Leeds Reserves |
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| Delph impressed in the 2008–09 pre-season friendly against Barnet, |
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| Delph’s form attracted the attention of Premier League managers, with Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger reported to be lining up a £6m bid for the midfielder |
| By March 2009, his performances during the 2008–09 season earned Delph a nomination for the League One player of the year, |
| On 3 August 2009, Villa agreed an undisclosed fee with Leeds United for the transfer of Delph to Villa Park |
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| Delph’s full Premier League debut came at home against Wigan Athletic on Saturday 15 August 2009, |
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| Stiliyan Petrov |
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| Born in Montana, Petrov started to play football with local team PFC Montana. |
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| It was at Celtic that he first made his name in football |
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| As of 2009, he is the tenth most prolific goal-scorer in SPL history (with 55). |
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| On 30 August 2006, Petrov completed his move to Villa Park on a four-year deal worth £6.5million |
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| Petrov scored his first Villa goal in a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United on 11 December 2006, |
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| He scored a magnificent volley from the halfway line against already relegated Derby County on 12 April 2008 |
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| he 2008/09 season saw Petrov’s form improved considerably as he became a first team regular |
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| In May 2009 Petrov was named both Aston Villas’ supporters’ “Player of the year |
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| Following the departure of captain Martin Laursen and his successor Gareth Barry, Petrov has been hinted as a leading candidate to become the next captain of Aston Villa |
| Petrov once again captained the side during Aston Villa’s opening fixture of the 2009-10 season |
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| Nigel Reo Coker |
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| Reo-Coker was spotted by London club Wimbledon at the age of 12 after representing the borough of Croydon |
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| After an impressive first half of the 2003-04 season, he signed for West Ham in January 2004, saying “”It is a big club and there is the opportunity to do well |
| He scored three times to help the club win promotion in 2004-05 through the play-offs and led the team to the FA Cup Final in May 2006 |
| Reo-Coker joined Aston Villa on 5 July 2007 for a reported £8.5 million, signing a four-year deal. |
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| He scored his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa in a 2-1 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane |
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| Reo-Coker captained Aston Villa in the latter stages of the 2009 Peace Cup, following an injury to teammate Stiliyan Petrov. |
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| Reo-Coker was first selected for the England U-21 squad against Turkey in October 2003 |
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| Craig Gardner |
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| Before Gardner made his Premiership debut on December 26, 2005 he played for the youth team Yardley Kings |
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| In August 2007, Gardner signed a new four year deal, which keeps him at Aston Villa until June 2011. |
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| On 1 October 2007 he scored two goals in two games with two free-kicks. First he scored away to Tottenham Hotspur in a 4–4 draw and then the winner against West Ham 5 days later with a deflected free-kick. |
| On 1 December 2007, Gardner scored the opener in a home match against Arsenal. Villa went on to lose the match 2–1. |
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| Due to Villa’s lack of defensive depth, Gardner has often played in the right-back slot |
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| In September 2008, Gardner signed a new four-year deal with Villa, tying him to the club until summer 2012. |
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| John Carew |
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| On 22 January 2007, Carew signed for Aston Villa in an exchange deal with Olympique Lyonnais for Milan Baroš |
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| Carew went onto receive the #10 jersey – left vacant by Baroš’ departure |
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| Carew made his debut in the 3–1 loss to Newcastle United, but went onto score his first goal for the club in a 1–0 victory against West Ham United |
| Carew began the season as Villa’s primary forward and was under high expectations from the Villa faithful. |
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| He scored on his second match back in the Villa side in a 3–0 away win against Middlesbrough in November. |
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| Carew scored two goals against Reading on 12 January and was unlucky not to be awarded Man of the Match ( |
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| On 12 April 2008, Carew scored for Aston Villa against Derby County at Pride Park in the Premier League, |
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| Carew scored his first goal of the 2008-09 campaign by scoring the first goal in Aston Villa’s 2-2 draw over Odense BK in the Intertoto Cup. |
| Carew scored the opening goal in Villa’s 4-2 win over Manchester City at Villa Park |
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| Soon after the controversy, Carew sustained a back injury that kept him out of the side for several months |
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| John Carew has played 71 times for Norway, scoring 21 goals (as of March 2008), and was part of their UEFA Euro 2000 squad. |
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| Gabby” Agbonlahor |
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| Agbonlahor was given his Premiership début on 18 March, 2006, under former Villa manager David O’Leary |
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| In five pre-season games of the 2006–07 season, Agbonlahor netted four goals in five games for Aston Villa. |
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| Agbonlahor started the season on the right wing in Martin O’Neill’s new-look Villa side, and would be part of the team that managed a get a point from the first Premiership game at Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium |
| Agbonlahor also provided cup heroics in 2006, scoring an extra-time injury-time winner to beat Leicester City 3–2 at the Walkers Stadium |
| Agbonlahor completed his run of scoring against the Big Four, when he added Manchester United to a list of his victims that included Chelsea and Liverpoo |
| Agbonlahor had played every minute of Aston Villa’s campaign in 2006–07, until he was replaced by Patrik Berger, in the 2–0 away fixture against Reading, |
| Following this break, Agbonlahor went on a scoring spree. He scored from the right-wing against Everton on 2 April |
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| Agbonlahor made it three in a row on Easter Monday, again scoring an equaliser, adjudged to have crossed the line by assistant referee Dave Richardson. |
| Agbonlahor also scored the vital second goal in the match between Aston Villa and Chelsea on 2 September, |
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| On 12 April 2008, Agbonlahor scored the fourth goal against Derby County in a 6–0 victory at Pride Park in the Premier league |
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| On 15 August 2008, Aston Villa announced that Agbonlahor had signed a new four-year deal, tying him to the club until 2012. |
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| Following his contract extension, on 17 August 2008, Agbonlahor scored a “perfect” hat-trick |
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| Early in the season he began to form a successful strike partnership with team-mate John Carew, |
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| However, this was a high point in a dismal run of form in which he scored just 1 goal in 12 league games. Some fans began to get frustrated with Agbonlahor |
| Gabriel Agbonlahor was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year with fellow team mate Ashley Young winning the honour. |
| On 28 September 2006, Agbonlahor received his first call-up to the England U21 squad, and won his first U21 cap as a substitute against Germany U21 on 6 October. |
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| Emile Heskey |
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| During the 1996–97 season, his first in the Premier League, Heskey scored 10 goals in 35 appearances |
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| Heskey joined Liverpool in March 2000 in a long-anticipated £11 million move, which, at the time, set the record transfer fee for the Merseyside club |
| Heskey was linked with a £12 million move to Tottenham Hotspur in December 2002 |
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| He picked up a hamstring injury during a match against Newcastle United in January 2004, which ruled him out of action for three weeks |
| At the end of the 2003–04 season, Heskey signed for Birmingham City on a five-year contract for an initial fee of £3.5 million, |
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| He suffered from an ankle injury against Blackburn Rovers on 19 April 2006 |
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| Heskey was signed by Wigan Athletic for £5.5m during July 2006. |
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| His first goal of the 2008–09 season came in Wigan’s fourth game,[48] a 5–0 victory against Hull City at the KC Stadium |
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| Heskey signed for Aston Villa for a fee of £3.5 million on a three-and-a-half year contract on 23 January 2009.[ |
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| Heskey played alongside Michael Owen in the England under-18 team which finished third in the European Championships in France |
