Top ten Aston Villa goals this century
Villa supporter Dave Parsons – a regular contributor to the Heroes & Villains fanzine – tells BirminghamWorld which goals he rated as the club’s most significant and memorable since 2000.
Dave, who lives in Redditch, is from a family of Villa supporters spanning numerous generations,
Here’s what he told us.
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1. Dion Dublin - vs Bolton Wanderers - FA Cup semi-final 1999/2000
This was a drab game at Wembley which finished 0-0 after extra-time. In the ensuing penalty shoot-out, Dublin, who had broken a bone in his neck less than four months prior, scored the winning penalty to send Villa back to Wembley. Unfortunately, the final was a disappointing affair!
2. Gary Cahill – vs Birmingham City - 2005/06
The David O’Leary years were pretty uneventful but one highlight came towards the end of his final season when a spectacular overhead kick by academy graduate Cahill set Villa on their way to three points in a relegation ‘six-pointer’ to complete the double over their local rivals.
3. Olof Mellberg – vs Arsenal - 2006/07
In the first game at Arsenal’s impressive Emirates Stadium and also the first game for Villa under the ownership of Randy Lerner and management of Martin O’Neill, Mellberg’s towering header from a corner wiped out the memory of the David O’Leary years at a stroke.
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Hide AdHowever, Dave can write another list of false dawns, but that is for another day!
4. John McGinn – vs Sheffield Wednesday – 2018/19
In a season full of spectacular goals, the start of Villa’s promotion-winning campaign was a stuttering one to say the least.
However, once Villa hit top gear there was no looking back. McGinn was a key figure and his goal against the Owls arrived when a half-cleared cross was met first time on the volley from fully 30 yards and flew into the net via the underside of the bar.
5. Albert Adomah – vs Stoke City – 2018/19
This was a decent finish by one of Villa’s Championship cult heroes but the goal makes the list for its significance.
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Hide AdOn the back of one win in nine matches and two defeats on the trot, Villa found ourselves mid-table and promotion looked a long way off.
Trailing 1-0 at half-time, boss Dean Smith read the riot act and the response was this equaliser and belief flowing through the team again.
Although the game finished 1-1, the confidence it gave the team set them up for the next ten games which were all won.
6. Jack Grealish – vs Derby County – 2018/19
This is the first of a few entries for Grealish and, again, Dave could have done a top ten just for him.
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Hide AdHis return from injury coincided with the start of Villa’s record-breaking run and he capped off a 4-0 win with a first-time volley from the edge of the box from a Glenn Whelan corner.
7. Jack Grealish – vs Rotherham United – 2018/19
Game number seven of the ten-game winning run was the one in which it nearly unravelled.
A goal and a man down at half-time meant Villa needed a big second half.
They got just that as this magnificent solo goal from Grealish in front of a euphoric away end clinched another three points.
8. Conor Hourihane – vs West Bromwich Albion – play-offs 2018/19
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Hide AdAs pure a connection with a football as you will ever see. Teed up on the edge of the area, Hourihane unleashed a rasping left-footed drive which flew past Sam Johnstone in the Albion goal and brought Villa level at 1-1.
An eventual 2-1 win in this game helped Villa emerge victorious over the two legs to send them to Wembley for what proved to be a winning final.
9. John McGinn – vs Derby County – play-off final 2018/19
It’s fair to say this isn’t the best goal in terms of quality, but it probably is in terms of importance.
A deflected cross from Anwar El Ghazi was looping straight into the keeper’s hands but he hesitated, allowing McGinn to nod in and put Villa 2-0 up and Premier League-bound.
10. Jack Grealish – vs West Ham United – 2019/20
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Hide AdAs one of three teams who could have been relegated on the final day of the season, the tension was unbearable.
However, a fantastic left-footed finish with less than ten minutes to go relieved the pressure and, despite an almost instant equaliser, Villa preserved their top flight status.
What other defining moments have there been in Villa’s recent history?
Glenn Whelan’s missed penalty – vs Preston North End – 2018/19
After one win in eight games, manager Steve Bruce was under pressure and losing support.
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Hide AdAfter going 2-0 up against Preston by half-time, Villa then found themselves 3-2 down with four minutes to go.
A late equaliser made it 3-3 before deep in injury-time Villa were awarded a penalty. Whelan had the chance to win the game and buy some time for Bruce, but his penalty was saved and Bruce was sacked the next day.
Dean Smith was then appointed boss and breathed life into Villa’s ultimately victorious season.
Sheffield United’s ‘ghost goal’ – 2019/20
In the first game after ‘Project Restart’, Villa were in 19th position and in desperate trouble.
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Hide AdJust before half-time, a wicked inswinging free kick was unconvincingly collected by Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
A collision with team-mate Keinan Davis took Nyland and the ball over the line, but the goal was not given by the Hawkeye system linked to the referee’s watch.
Of course, this decision alone did not keep Villa up, but the point secured as a result played its part.
Apparently the referee’s watch gave the goal at half-time, by which, of course, it was too late.
The internet has always been shocking at Villa Park!
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