Aston Villa supporters need no reminding just how big a Villa nut Dean Smith is. The boyhood Villan took his dream job in October 2018 and it’s been a successful and enthralling ride ever since after sealing promotion in 2019 before fighting off relegation last season. After a brilliant summer of recruitment, head coach Smith now looks to have taken Villa to the next level after statement-like victories over the likes of Leicester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, the latter an emphatic 7-2 triumph at Villa Park. It’s a tact that mirrors Ron Saunders’ historic and heroic Villa team that clinched the First Division title in 1981 and, when asked about using less players this season, was quick to remind reporters of Saunders’ exploits when he used just 14 players during Villa’s title-winning campaign. Smith, meanwhile, was quick to pick up on a reporter on Thursday who asked about the 1982 squad rather than the 1980-81 crop – and the boss was quick to pick up on that error.
Dean Smith said “I need no reminding but Aston Villa won the league in 1980/81 using only 14 players, It won’t be done again, no, but it shows you the capacity for players to play football matches is still there. It was there then and is there now. I remember sitting with Tony McCoy and he said, ‘I have still not seen a footballer carried off a field with exhaustion yet.’ But I want every one of my players to play football. I don’t want any of them to be happy not being in the team. If I’ve got that then I’ve got players playing consistently well. We’ve had that so far this season and we’ve probably used a lot fewer players than other teams for that reason. (Saunders] always has been an inspiration to me as a Villa fan at that time and, sorry to pick you up on it, but the title win was actually 80-81; 82 was the European Cup final season!
