With Aston Villa confirming the official departure list for the summer as our plans for 2019/20 continue, there were few surprises on the list of players released at the end of their existing contracts.
Some had probably expected the likes of Mile Jedinak, Glenn Whelan and maybe Alan Hutton to get a final 12 month deal for their experience and what they brought to the dressing room, but head coach Dean Smith and the club are now going in a new direction and rightly the fans can be somewhat sentimental, the club can’t.
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Given Villa fans have undoubtedly seen the best of Whelan in the campaign of 2017/18 as he seriously won the majority over and showed us exactly what he was capable of, there were plenty of fond goodbye messages for him when the news was confirmed.
Whelan. Surprised with that. @karen3403 Thank you Glenn for your absolute beast of a season. True professional who will be missed by all Villa fans.
— SimsAVFC (@AvfcSims) June 1, 2019
WHELAN ????????????
— Mr Steele Yo Girl (@AVFCJacksteele) June 1, 2019
@karen3403 pass the love onto Glenn ♥️ Legend,top bloke and forever loved at VP
— Villamole (@thatcherlover) June 1, 2019
Man….Whelan is a legend ,one more year would've been nice, tough one for him not to be back in the Premiership ????
— Steven O'Driscoll (@NuSoddy) June 1, 2019
Thank u to all the players released really surprised at Whelan
— David B (@djamesb45) June 1, 2019
Whelan the only surprise there. He'll be snapped up in no time by a very decent side. Best of luck to all of them.
— Brian O'Flaherty (@Flatsy1) June 1, 2019
Actually, i feel quite sad to see the back of Jedi, Albert and Whelan. Professional and dedicated players who had a great influence on the squad. Time for the younger players to step up! A bit sentimental about it all…. #avfc
— Chrsmo (@Chrsmo) June 1, 2019
Alan Hutton is now in Aston Villa folklore, Jedi, Whelo, Tommy and Albert can always hold their heads high in Villa Park and Ritchie and Bunny did what was expected when called on. I wish them all well.
— Mark (@markavfc40) June 1, 2019
What a difference 12 months can make, this time last year you’d have had to look hard to find people wanting him to extend his time with us, and that just shows how he dug in to leave us proud.
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