Long Decade For Villa Sees Phenomenal Upturn In Form

TL;DR

Aston Villa has experienced a remarkable turnaround in form over the past decade, transitioning from relegation to competing effectively in the Premier League under manager Unai Emery. The club's journey includes ownership changes and a return to top-flight football after years of struggle.

Key points

Aston Villa was relegated a decade ago for the first time since 1987.
The team faced numerous challenges, including ownership and managerial changes.
Unai Emery is the current manager, overseeing a remarkable turnaround.
Dean Smith helped the club return to the Premier League.
Jack Grealish played a key role during the club's revival.

Mentioned in this story

Unai EmeryDean SmithJack Grealish

Aston VillaManchester United

Long Decade For Villa Sees Phenomenal Upturn In Form

A decade is a long time in life, but it is almost an eternity in football given how a single week can potentially see a side go from clear title favourites to being unable to even field a full first team squad and the applicable substitutes if a bad virus infects the dressing room – and it is a point that Midlands side Aston Villa continue to prove under taskmaster manager Unai Emery.

Exactly a decade ago, the original Claret and Blues were true Villans and found themselves relegated into the English second tier for the first time since 1987. It was an incredibly limp wristed campaign that saw a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United mark a ninth defeat in a 13 game winless run that predictably sent them down without so much as a whimper and the football news created by their drop reverberated up and down the country.

Ownership changes, HMRC problems, assets being given away, managerial changes, first team squad changes and three years in the proverbial wilderness saw the stars align under boyhood fan Dean Smith who gave the tiny shin pads of fellow boyhood Jack Grealish the freedom of Villa Park and a return to the Premier League was on.

Naturally they struggled, and things got drastically worse when a decision was taken to appoint Steven Gerrard after way too many Balti’s and they looked set for relegation once more. The players would just not look the manager in the eye, he seemed to forget that Philippe Coutinho was not quite as young as he used to be and there was an issue with the tactics…kick the ball at the goal did not seem to work for the promotion winning team.

Q&A

What caused Aston Villa's relegation a decade ago?

Aston Villa was relegated due to a poor campaign that included a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United, marking a ninth defeat in a 13-game winless run.

Who is the current manager of Aston Villa?

The current manager of Aston Villa is Unai Emery, who has led the team to a significant improvement in form.

How did Dean Smith contribute to Aston Villa's return to the Premier League?

Dean Smith, a boyhood fan, played a crucial role in Aston Villa's return to the Premier League by revitalizing the team and allowing players like Jack Grealish to thrive.

What challenges did Aston Villa face after their relegation?

After relegation, Aston Villa faced ownership changes, HMRC problems, managerial changes, and a period of three years in the lower divisions.