New Year’s Blues for Villa

Once one of the great teams in England and Europe and one of the founders of the Football League; the past two seasons have seen the gradual demise of Aston Villa Football Club.

With three 6th places finishes between 2007 and 2010, two trips to Wembley and dalliances with the European football, the hopes of the Villa Park faithful of finally breaking the dominance of the once impenetrable “Top 4″ looked like they might come true.

They possess a strong squad, which, if added to could begin to compete with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, the Manchester clubs, Liverpool and the recently revitalised Tottenham Hotspur.

In Martin O’Neill, Villa began to achieve their potential. The Ulsterman had been successful wherever he had managed; it appeared that everything he touched turned to gold.

He guided Wycombe Wanderers to three consecutive promotions and their first experience of the Football League; Leicester to two League Cups in 1997 and 2000 and had great success at Celtic winning the domestic treble in his first season and a total of 3 League titles, 3 Scottish Cups and a League Cup as well as 7 consecutive Old Firm derby victories.

He was unveiled to the press as the new Aston Villa manager in August 2006 and expressed his desire to get Villa back to pastures green, “Trying to restore it to its days of former glory seems a long way away – but why not try? It is nearly 25 years since they won the European Cup but that is the dream.”

With this in mind Villa got off to a good start in the 2006-07 campaign having an unbeaten run of 9 matches, the best in the league, and although this form faded as the season went on the signs were beginning to show that under O’Neill, Villa would once again be a force to be reckoned with.

With new signings coming through the door, there was an exciting atmosphere around the Midlands club and O’Neill built on the foundations laid in his first season to guide the club to 6th place in the 07/08 season and again in the 08/09 campaign where Villa nearly completed a “grand slam” of victories over the “Top 4″ only to be thwarted by Arsenal.

The 09/10 season was to be O’Neill’s most successful; however it would also be his last. Another 6th placed finish and two fantastic cup runs, one of which so nearly ended in victory saw O’Neill given hero status on the Villa Park terraces.

But as is so often in sport, heroes can soon become villains. With just days to go before the 10/11 seasons opening day, O’Neill resigned from his post with immediate effect leaving Villa before what could have been the breakthrough season.

Kevin MacDonald steadied the ship and with his health issues, Gerard Houllier was more of a caretaker boss than a full time manager.

Despite a late surge in form towards the end of the season, Villa only managed to finish in 9th and with the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City making a big impression towards the top of the table, Villa had fallen by the wayside.

With the departure of Houllier, the potential for a new beginning at Villa was on the cards. Wigan’s Roberto Martinez was linked with the club, as well as Mark Hughes and Martin Jol.

However, the Villa board decided to look a little closer to home for a new manager, contacting their fiercest rivals, Birmingham City.

Alex McLeish, O’Neills rival back in Scotland when he was in charge at Rangers was going to try and do what the Northern Irishman could not.

The appointment was met with a backlash by the Villa faithful and rightfully so, with only 5 wins so far this season and 5 losses coming at home, the most recent being to Premier League new boys Swansea.

A spirited win at Chelsea just before the New Year could have seen Villa’s fortunes change, but this latest defeat is making the calls for McLeish’s resignation gather speed and another defeat this weekend to Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire.

The days of Barry, Milner, Young and Downing knocking the ball around Villa Park and playing quick, attractive, counter attacking football have gone.

In its place have come lacklustre performances with little desire and a style of play reminiscent of McLeish’s previous club.

Hopefully he will not lead Villa to the free fall experienced at Birmingham after their League Cup triumph and the fans will be singing of success rather than the Blues.