A Letter to Aston Villa: The Season That Changed Everything

Villa lifting the Europa League Trophy

Dear Villa,

I’m not writing this as a journalist or trying to break everything down properly. This isn’t analysis, and it’s definitely not perfect. I just wanted to get something down while it’s still fresh in my head, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this about a squad of players and this fantastic club before. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve followed it the way we have, but this season has just hit differently.

I was 12 the last time we won a trophy. That 95/96 season has stayed with me ever since, probably more than I realised until now. I can still picture it clear as anything. Dwight Yorke leading the line, Ugo Ehiogu and Gareth Southgate at the back, proper defenders who you trusted. Andy Townsend as captain, setting the tone, and Ian Taylor, one of our own, doing what he always did. That team gave me belief as a kid. It gave me pride. It made me feel like we belonged at the top end of the game.

And if I’m honest, I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.

But this season has gone past that. It’s not just about what we’ve done, it’s about how it’s felt watching it. Walking into games now expecting something instead of just hoping for a result. Watching teams come to Villa Park and you can see it in them, they know they’re in for a game. And watching us, really watching us, and thinking we actually know what we are now. There’s a structure, a belief, a confidence that hasn’t been there for a long time. I’ve caught myself a few times just sitting there thinking, this is what it’s supposed to feel like being a Villa fan.

A huge part of that comes down to Unai Emery. I’ve never seen anything like what he’s done with this group of players. Not just in terms of tactics, although that speaks for itself, but in the belief he’s created within the squad. Most of these players weren’t even his signings, but he’s got them believing in themselves, in each other, and in what they’re building together. That’s not easy to do at any club, never mind one that’s had the ups and downs we’ve had.

And when you look at it properly, I don’t think there’s a single player he hasn’t improved. Every single one of them looks better, more confident, more aware of their role. That’s what stands out to me more than anything. Everyone has gone up a level. For me, he’s the best manager I’ve seen at this club in my lifetime, and I don’t think that’s even up for debate anymore.

Then there’s Ollie Watkins. I’ve given him stick before, and I won’t pretend otherwise. When he’s not on it, he really isn’t on it. You can see it straight away, the touch isn’t quite there, things don’t stick, chances come and go, and you start questioning him. And if I’m being honest, that’s still been part of his season. There have been spells where he’s gone quiet, games where you’ve come away thinking he didn’t quite do enough.

But that’s also why my opinion on him has probably changed more than anyone this year. Because even with those dips, he still delivers. He still scores goals. He still runs channels all game and gives defenders something to think about. He still finds ways to impact matches, even when it’s not perfect. And I think that’s the difference between a good striker and one you can rely on across a full season.

He’s not flawless, far from it. But over the course of the season, he gives you what you need. And in a team competing at this level, that matters more than anything. I never thought I’d say it, but for me, he’s the best striker I’ve seen in a Villa shirt in my lifetime.

And then there’s John McGinn. I don’t think I’ve ever connected with a Villa captain the way I have with him. He just understands it. He plays like a fan at times, but what’s stood out this season is how much he’s grown beyond that. He’s not just leading with emotion anymore, he’s influencing games, setting standards, driving the team forward. When I think about what a Villa captain should look like, it’s him.

We’ve had some unbelievable players over the years. Gareth Barry, Juan Pablo Ángel, Olof Mellberg, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jack Grealish. Then others like Stiliyan Petrov, James Milner, Christian Benteke, Paul Merson, David Ginola, Martin Laursen, Mark Bosnich and Dion Dublin. Players I’ve loved watching.

But if I’m being honest, they’re cult heroes. Not because they weren’t good enough, but because they didn’t win anything with us.

And that’s why this group feels different.

And it’s not just the headline names either. It’s seeing the personalities of the rest of the squad come through as well. Players like Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Emiliano Martínez and Ezri Konsa. Seeing them enjoy it with the fans, especially at the parade, but even on social media, you can feel that connection more than ever.

Konsa’s letter before the final said a lot as well. You could feel what it meant to them.

It makes you realise this isn’t just a good team. It’s a group that actually gets it.

And then there was Istanbul. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to properly explain what that felt like, but I know I’ll never forget it. It wasn’t just the game, it was everything around it. Seeing former players just out, having a drink, chatting like normal. No barriers, no separation, just Villa people being part of it all.

Bumping into fans I’ve seen at Villa Park for years, faces you recognise straight away even if you’ve never spoken. People you’ve grown up around without even realising it. And then meeting new Villa family as well, people you instantly connect with because of what you’re all there for. Even running into people you’ve only ever known online, like True Adventures, and suddenly you’re sharing that moment in real life.

And then the game itself just took it to another level. Two of the best goals I’ve ever seen live. Proper moments where everything just stops for a second. I still think John McGinn’s volley is the best I’ve ever seen, nothing beats that for me, but these were special in a different way. Emiliano Buendía stepping up after being written off, Youri Tielemans proving himself after not getting a look in early on, and Morgan Rogers giving everything, every minute he could before the City game.

That’s what this team is. Players stepping up, proving people wrong, growing in front of you.

Istanbul just summed all of it up. The people, the moments, the feeling.

And that’s why this season means so much to me. 95/96 gave us success, it gave us something to hold onto. But this season has given something else entirely. It’s given expectation. We’re not hoping anymore, we expect. And if you’ve followed this club long enough, you’ll know how big that shift is.

The best thing is, it doesn’t feel like the end of something. It feels like the start. Champions League nights again, proper European nights at Villa Park. Some players will go, that’s football, some will stay and become the core of this team, and new players will come in that Unai Emery can work with, improve, and build into this.

And that’s the biggest thing for me now. I trust it. I trust him. I trust what we’re building.

I’ve said it a few times on Holte End Talks, and I still feel exactly the same. This group will go down as legends of Aston Villa. Not just because of what they’ve done, but because of what they’ve changed.

And maybe that’s why I wanted to write this.

Because seasons like this don’t come around often. But for the first time in a long time, it feels like there’s more coming.

And I don’t want to forget what this feels like.

UTV.