Aston Villa Under-21s and Academy
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| Full name | Aston Villa Football Club Under-21s & Academy | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Villans | ||
| Founded | 1874 | ||
| Ground |
Home Stadium: Villa Park Aston Birmingham B6 6HE England Home Stadium (Winter): De Montfort Park Hinckley Leicestershire LE10 3DR England | ||
| Capacity |
Villa Park: 42,585 De Montfort Park: 4,329 | ||
| Chairman |
 Randy Lerner | ||
| Head Coach |
 Tony McAndrew | ||
| League | Professional Development League 1 | ||
| 2014-15 | 7th, Division 2 | ||
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The Aston Villa Under-21s, formerly Aston Villa Reserves, are the most senior youth development team of Aston Villa and compete in League 1 (Division 2) of the U21 Professional Development League in the 2015–16 season. The team were part of the FA Premier Reserve League since its foundation in 1999 and were winners of the 2011-12 Premier Reserve League South title, the last in its previous format. The team plays its home games at Villa Park - during Autumn and Spring - and the De Montfort Park (home of Hinckley United) - during the winter months. Aston Villa also have an academy side that competes in the Under-18 division of the Professional Development League and the FA Youth Cup annually.
The Under-21 side has been successful in recent years, as well as becoming national champions in the 2003–04 and 2009–10 seasons, the team also clinched four out of five Southern Championships between 2007 and 2012, before the format changed to the Professional Development League 1. The side also won the NextGen Series in 2013, a Europe-wide tournament for elite academies.
Current first-teamers Ciaran Clark, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Nathan Baker, Gary Gardner, Callum Robinson and Jack Grealish all came through the youth system at the club, as well as former players Gary Cahill, Gareth Barry, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Darius Vassell, Craig Gardner, Marc Albrighton, Andreas Weimann and Steven Davis amongst many others. The Villa academy also developed England and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and Arsenal midfielder Daniel Crowley. The under-21 team is currently coached by Gordon Cowans whilst Tony McAndrew and Ben Petty coach the Academy team. The U21 team is primarily made up of players under the age of 21, although three over-age outfield players may be named in a matchday squad. These may usually include fringe first-team players and first-team players recovering from injury.
History
Signs of the team date back to 1892, when Aston Villa Reserves joined the Birmingham & District League. After finishing in the runners-up position twice in the first 2 seasons of the competition, Villa finally won their first trophy in the 1894–95 season, amazingly winning 26 out of 30 league games and losing just once all season. Several titles followed after this achievement, including an extraordinary run of 8 consecutive titles between 1902 and 1910. When Villa finally left the Birmingham & District League in 1915, they had accumulated a total of 12 league titles and 6 runners-up finishes.
After that, the reserve team played in the Central League for many years, becoming champions in 1929–30, 1963–64 and 1992–93.
In 1999–2000, the FA Premier Reserve League was set up, Villa were one of the founding members, and were split into the Northern section of the league. Three disappointing seasons followed, however in the 2003–04 season, inspired by brothers Stefan Moore and Luke Moore, Villa eased to their first title. In the two seasons which followed (2004–05 and 2005–06), Villa agonisingly finished both campaigns as runners-up, both times to Manchester United. In the 2006–07 season, for the first time since its introduction, the FA Premier Reserve League excluded Coca-Cola Championship teams from playing in the league, with the 20 senior English Premiership teams parallelling the teams involved in the FA Premier League. This also meant that due to geographical circumstances, Aston Villa Reserves were switched from the Northern Division, to the Southern equivalent, for the first time since the start of the original format in 1999. Villa eventually finished 4th - winning 9 out of their 18 games, with Luke Moore the top goalscorer, with 7. The season saw the impressive development of several youngsters, most notably including Zoltán Stieber, Shane Lowry and Stephen O'Halloran, all of which were rewarded with first-team opportunities in the pre-season fixtures, prior to the 2007–08 season.
Inspired by Swedish striker Tobias Mikaelsson, Aston Villa Reserves clinched the 2007–08 Southern title, their second regional success since the inception of the league in 1999. However, they were beaten 3-0 in the Play-Off Final by Northern champions Liverpool.
In the 2008–09 season, the team went one better by securing their second consecutive Southern title, and then defeating Sunderland to claim their first ever national title, with goals from Nathan Delfouneso, James Collins and Shane Lowry.
Andreas Weimann netted nine goals, to help Villa keep up their trend of securing the Southern title - their third on the trot - in the 2009–10 season. This included a remarkable 15-game unbeaten streak, running from the opening game of the campaign, all the way through to the last game of the season against Portsmouth. However, the club were denied a second consecutive national title, as they were beaten on penalties by Manchester United, after a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford.
The 2010–11 season saw changes to the standard format of the league. Only 16 clubs competed, which meant a split between the top heavy Northern league. Undoubtedly the highlight of the season, was a 10-1 home victory over Arsenal at the Greene King Stadium, en route to finishing third in the league.
Following changes arrived in the 2011–12 season. Three leagues were abolished, returning to two, whilst each team played the teams in their own league home and away. They also played each team in the regional league once, with home and away games split evenly. More success followed however, as Villa picked up another Southern title, with Andreas Weimann scoring nine times during the course of the season. It was a case of deja vu however, as they were again beaten on penalties by Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Premier Reserve League was abolished during the summer of 2012, to make way for the Professional Development League 1. Aston Villa will be one of 22 clubs to take part in the inaugural season, participating in Group 2 of the competition.
During the 13-year tenure of the original Reserve system, Aston Villa were the second most successful club - behind Manchester United - with five regional titles and one national title. The U21 team currently play their home matches at Villa Park, although during the winter months, matches are held at Greene King Stadium, home ground of Hinckley United. The Academy team play their home matches at Bodymoor Heath.
Hong Kong Soccer Sevens
The yearly invitational seven-a-side Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament brings together leading youth sides from around the world, and has brought notable success to Aston Villa's in the past - with a squad of reserve and youth players fielded annually for the event for over a decade. Villa have won the tournament five times, more than any other team.
Villa won the third HK Soccer Sevens tournament in 2002, defeating Arsenal in the final, they went on to defend their title in 2004 (as the 2003 competition was cancelled due to the SARS outbreak), inspired by Stephen Cooke and Steven Foley they clinched the trophy in the final against Manchester United. Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor captained Villa to the semi-final in 2006 - losing to the eventual winners Urawa Red Diamonds - and also received the 'Player Of The Tournament' accolade. Villa won the competition again in May 2010, beating Central Coast Mariners of Australia in the final.[1]
U21 squad
Updated 20 October 2015[2]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve & U21 Honours
- Winners:
- 1894/95, 1895/96, 1899/00, 1902/03, 1903/04, 1904/05, 1905/06, 1906/07, 1907/08, 1908/09, 1909/10, 1911/12.
- Runners-Up:
- 1892/93, 1893/94, 1897/98, 1898/99, 1900/01, 1910/11.
- Winners:
- 1879/80, 1881/82, 1882/83, 1883/84, 1884/85, 1887/88, 1888/89, 1889/90, 1890/91, 1895/96, 1898/99, 1902/03, 1903/04, 1905/06, 1907/08, 1908/09, 1909/10, 1911/12, 1984/85.
- Runners-Up:
- 1875/76, 1880/81, 1892/93, 1894/95, 1900/01, 1901/02, 1923/24, 1982/83, 1994/95, 1995/96.
FA Premier Reserve League North
- Winners:
- 2003/04.
- Runners-Up:
- 2004/05, 2005/06.
FA Premier Reserve League South
- Winners:
- 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12
- Winners:
- 2008/09.
- Runners-Up:
- 2007/08, 2009/10, 2011/12.
HKFC International Soccer Sevens
- Winners:
- 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010.
Aston Villa Academy
Aston Villa Academy is the youth development system of Premier League team Aston Villa, it fields an under-18s team in the U18 Professional Development League 1 (South Division). Until 2012 the team competed in Group B of the now defunct FA Premier Academy League.
In the 2009/10 season Villa clinched top spot in Group B of the Premier Academy League, impressively notching the most wins (22), most points (68) and most goals (84) of all 41 clubs involved. Villa's youngsters were drawn against Group A winners Arsenal in the semi-final, which was won via a single strike from Nathan Delfouneso. This subsequently meant a final against FA Youth Cup winners Manchester City, which was comprehensively won 2-0, with goals from James Collins and Chris Herd. The top scorers for the season were Irish striker James Collins (23), Austrian striker Andreas Weimann (16) and English striker Nathan Delfouneso (15).The 2008/09 season was less fruitful for Villa's youngsters, as they finished 3rd in Group B, and were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup at the first hurdle, losing in the Third Round to eventual champions Arsenal.
Villa's youth team has a strong history in the FA Youth Cup with wins in 1972, 1980 and 2002. More recently, Villa also reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in 2004, eventually being knocked out by eventual runners-up Chelsea.
The Aston Villa Academy played in both seasons of the now defunct NextGen Series, a tournament for Europe's elite football academies between 2011 and 2013. The team was composed of under-18s with up to three under-19s in each matchday squad. Having made the quarter-finals in the 2011-12 Series, the academy side captained by Samir Carruthers won the final of the 2012-13 tournament on 1 April 2013 beating Chelsea 2–0, at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, in Como, Italy.[3]
The team train at Bodymoor Heath in North Warwickshire and also play their home matches there on weekends.
Academy squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Academy Honours
- Winners:
FA Premier Academy League U17s
- Winners:
- 2003–04
FA Premier Academy League U18s: Group B
- Winners:
- 2007–08
- 2010–11
FA Premier Academy League U18s: Play-Offs
- Winners:
- 2007–08
- Runners-Up:
- 2007
Staff
- Head Development Coach:
Gordon Cowans - Academy Director: Bryan Jones
- Academy Coach: Sean Verity
- Assistant Academy Director: Steve Burns
- Academy Coach: Ben Petty
- Academy Coach: Tony McAndrew
- Academy Coach:
Brian O'Connell - Academy Coach:
Mark Delaney - Academy Goalkeeping Coach: Ronnie Sinclair
- Head of Education and Welfare: Paul Brackwell
Notable Academy Graduates
The following players have all progressed through the youth ranks at Aston Villa and have either made at least one appearance for the first team in professional competition, have gone on to play for a fully professional team or have represented their national team. Players in bold are still contracted to the club.
2010s
| Player | DOB | Position | First-Team Debut | First-Team Appearances | First-Team Goals | Current Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Daniel Crowley | 3 August 1997 | Midfielder | 9 August 2015 (League One with Barnsley) | 0 | 0 | Barnsley (on loan from Arsenal) |
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Jordan Graham | 5 March 1995 | Midfielder | 7 December 2013 (Championship with Ipswich Town) | 0 | 0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
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Rushian Hepburn-Murphy | 24 August 1998 | Forward | 14 March 2015 (vs Sunderland) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Michael Drennan | 2 February 1994 | Forward | 18 January 2014 (League One with Carlisle United) | 0 | 0 | Shamrock Rovers |
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Benjamin Siegrist | 31 January 1992 | Goalkeeper | 26 March 2014 (Conference Premier with Cambridge United) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Janoi Donacien | 3 November 1993 | Defender | 30 August 2014 (League Two with Tranmere Rovers) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Wycombe Wanderers (on loan from Aston Villa) |
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Daniel Johnson | 8 October 1992 | Midfielder | 23 October 2012 (League One with Yeovil Town) | 0 | 0 | Preston North End |
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András Stieber | 8 October 1991 | Midfielder | 27 September 2014 (Nemzeti Bajnokság I with Győri ETO) | 0 | 0 | Győri ETO |
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Jack Grealish | 10 September 1995 | Midfielder | 7 May 2014 (vs Manchester City) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Ümit Eminoğlu | 14 September 1994 | Midfielder | 25 September 2013 (Turkish Cup with Gençlerbirliği) | 0 | 0 | Redditch United |
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Callum Robinson | 2 February 1995 | Forward | 24 September 2013 (vs Tottenham Hotspur) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Bristol City (on loan from Aston Villa) |
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Reece Caira | 7 January 1993 | Defender | 27 December 2012 (A-League with Western Sydney Wanderers) | 0 | 0 | Unattached |
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Derrick Williams | 17 January 1993 | Defender | 1 December 2012 (vs QPR) | 1 | 0 | Bristol City |
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Graham Burke | 21 September 1993 | Striker | 28 August 2012 (vs Tranmere Rovers) | 0 | 0 | Notts County |
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Samir Carruthers | 4 April 1993 | Midfielder | 7 April 2012 (vs Liverpool) | 3 | 0 | MK Dons |
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Gary Gardner | 29 June 1992 | Midfielder | 31 December 2011 (vs Chelsea) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Nathan Baker | 23 April 1991 | Defender | 25 January 2011 (vs Wigan Athletic) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Chris Herd | 4 April 1989 | Midfielder | 13 November 2010 (vs Manchester United) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Jonathan Hogg | 6 December 1988 | Midfielder | 13 November 2010 (vs Manchester United) | 7 | 0 | Huddersfield Town |
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Harry Forrester | 2 January 1991 | Midfielder | 11 September 2010 (Scottish Premier League with Kilmarnock) | 0 | 0 | Doncaster Rovers |
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Eric Lichaj | 17 November 1988 | Defender | 19 August 2010 (vs Rapid Vienna) | 42 | 2 | Nottingham Forest |
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Andreas Weimann | 5 August 1991 | Forward | 14 August 2010 (vs West Ham United) | 113 | 17 | Derby County & Austria |
2000s
| Player | DOB | Position | First-Team Debut | First-Team Appearances | First-Team Goals | Current Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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James Collins | 1 December 1990 | Forward | 24 October 2009 (League Two with Darlington F.C.) | 0 | 0 | Shrewsbury Town |
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Ciaran Clark | 26 September 1989 | Defender | 30 August 2009 (vs Fulham) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa & Ireland |
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Shane Lowry | 12 June 1989 | Defender | 20 August 2009 (vs Rapid Vienna) | 3 | 0 | Birmingham City |
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Marc Albrighton | 18 November 1989 | Midfielder | 26 February 2009 (vs CSKA Moscow) | 101 | 9 | Leicester City |
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Barry Bannan | 1 December 1989 | Midfielder | 17 December 2008 (vs Hamburger SV) | 83 | 2 | Crystal Palace F.C. & Scotland |
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Nathan Delfouneso | 2 February 1991 | Forward | 14 August 2008 (vs FH) | 50 | 9 | Blackpool F.C. |
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Bobby Olejnik | 26 November 1986 | Goalkeeper | 24 November 2007 (Scottish Premier League with Falkirk F.C.) | 0 | 0 | Peterborough United F.C. |
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Zoltán Stieber | 16 October 1988 | Midfielder | 24 November 2007 (League Two with Yeovil Town F.C.) | 0 | 0 | Hamburger SV & Hungary |
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Daniel Sturridge | 1 September 1989 | Forward | 3 February 2007 (Premier League with Manchester City) | 0 | 0 | Liverpool F.C. |
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Stephen O'Halloran | 29 November 1987 | Defender | 31 October 2006 (League Two with Wycombe Wanderers) | 0 | 0 | Stockport County |
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Isaiah Osbourne | 15 November 1987 | Midfielder | 21 October 2006 (vs Fulham) | 30 | 0 | Scunthorpe |
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Gary Cahill | 19 December 1985 | Defender | 1 April 2006 (vs Arsenal) | 31 | 1 | Chelsea & England |
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Gabriel Agbonlahor | 13 October 1986 | Forward | 18 March 2006 (vs Everton) | Ongoing | Ongoing | Aston Villa |
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Jamie Ward | 12 May 1986 | Striker | 7 March 2006 (League Two with Stockport County F.C.) | 0 | 0 | Derby County F.C. & Northern Ireland |
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Craig Gardner | 25 November 1986 | Midfielder | 26 December 2005 (vs Everton) | 80 | 6 | Sunderland |
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Steven Davis | 1 January 1985 | Midfielder | 18 September 2004 (vs Norwich City) | 102 | 9 | Southampton & Northern Ireland |
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Wayne Henderson | 16 September 1983 | Goalkeeper | 13 March 2004 (Conference Premier with Tamworth F.C.) | 0 | 0 | Retired |
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Luke Moore | 13 February 1986 | Forward | 22 February 2004 (vs Birmingham City) | 98 | 14 | Toronto F.C. |
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Peter Whittingham | 8 September 1984 | Midfielder | 23 April 2003 (vs Newcastle United) | 66 | 2 | Cardiff City |
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Liam Ridgewell | 21 July 1984 | Defender | 4 January 2003 (vs Blackburn Rovers) | 93 | 7 | West Bromwich Albion |
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Rob Edwards | 25 December 1982 | Defender | 28 December 2002 (vs Middlesbrough) | 9 | 0 | Retired |
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Boaz Myhill | 9 November 1982 | Goalkeeper | 30 November 2002 (Division One with Bradford City F.C.) | 0 | 0 | West Bromwich Albion |
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Stefan Moore | 28 September 1983 | Forward | 11 September 2002 (vs Charlton Athletic) | 30 | 2 | Leamington |
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Thomas Hitzlsperger | 5 April 1982 | Midfielder | 13 January 2001 (vs Liverpool) | 114 | 12 | Retired |
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Stephen Cooke | 15 February 1982 | Midfielder | 2 August 2000 (vs Celta de Vigo) | 4 | 0 | Pelsall Villa |
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Jonathan Bewers | 10 September 1982 | Defender | 15 April 2000 (vs Tottenham Hotspur) | 1 | 0 | Retired |
1990s
| Player | DOB | Position | First-Team Debut | First-Team Appearances | First-Team Goals | Current Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Aaron Lescott | 2 December 1978 | Defender | 2 January 1999 (vs Hull City) | 1 | 0 | Halesowen Town |
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Adam Rachel | 10 December 1976 | Goalkeeper | 26 December 1998 (vs Blackburn Rovers) | 1 | 0 | Retired |
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Tommy Jaszczun | 16 September 1977 | Defender | 28 October 1998 (vs Chelsea) | 1 | 0 | Brackley Town |
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Darius Vassell | 13 June 1980 | Forward | 23 August 1998 (vs Middlesbrough) | 201 | 45 | Unattached |
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Gareth Barry | 23 February 1981 | Midfielder | 2 May 1998 (vs Sheffield Wednesday) | 441 | 52 | Everton F.C. |
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Darren Byfield | 29 September 1979 | Forward | 28 December 1997 (vs Leeds United) | 10 | 0 | Tamworth F.C. |
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Richard Walker | 8 November 1977 | Forward | 28 December 1997 (vs Leeds United) | 10 | 2 | Beer Albion |
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Lee Hendrie | 18 May 1977 | Midfielder | 23 December 1995 (vs Queens Park Rangers) | 308 | 32 | Basford United F.C. |
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Gareth Farrelly | 28 August 1975 | Midfielder | 20 September 1995 (vs Peterborough United) | 8 | 0 | Retired |
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Riccardo Scimeca | 13 June 1975 | Defender | 19 August 1995 (vs Manchester United) | 73 | 2 | Retired |
References
- ↑ "Jones: I'll never forget Gabby's performances in Hong Kong Sevens". Aston Villa F.C. Official Website. June 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ↑ "Aston Villa Squads - U21". Aston Villa F.C. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2302225/Chelsea-v-Aston-Villa--NextGen-final-LIVE.html
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