Ex Birmingham City star teases Aston Villa with cruel choice of happiest football memory

Ex Birmingham City star Troy Deeney had shared his happiest-ever football memory, and it came while inflicting misery on former Midlands rivals Aston Villa.

The physical talisman made 56 appearances for the Blues between 2021 and 2023 but the most joy he has felt on a football pitch came in a match during his 11-year stay at Watford, in a match against none other than Aston Villa. Deeney's time at Birmingham City came after his stay at Watford, meaning his fiercest rivalry with the Villains was still to come, but the Birmingham-born star had history with the club having been rejected from the academy as a teenager.

In April 2016, the Hornets welcomed Aston Villa with just three fixtures left of the season. That campaign had been miserable for Villa, who had already been condemned to relegation after just three wins in the campaign.

However, the away side turned in an impressive performance in London, taking the lead twice and going into the final moments 2-1 up. While speaking on the Football Firsts podcast, Deeney explained what happened next.

The 35-year-old said: "People probably think I have a problem with Villa, I really don't. The year Villa went down when Joleon [Lescott] and Micah Richards were there. They had a decent team but whatever happened and it all just went to pot.

"They were playing at our place and were 2-1 up with four minutes to go. Their fans are screaming, getting at me, 'how c**p must you be if we're winning away?'

"I scored two goals to win 3-2 in the 90th and 92nd minute and celebrated right in front of their fans. That on a football pitch is the happiest I've ever been, I was giving it - same as they were giving me, I was chucking it straight back! I scored and said 'haha, you p***ks', that was caught on Match of the Day. When I said when I scored for 3-2 I can't say on here. It was a good day."

That season Aston Villa went on to draw with Newcastle United before a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Arsenal on the final day of the season before plummeting back to the Championship. Watford secured a 13th-place finish that term.

Throughout his career, Deeney has met Aston Villa five times, winning four and losing just once. The striker also has six goals against the Midlands club in those five appearances - his only loss against the Villains was in a 2-1 defeat when playing for Watford in January 2020.