Monday had been a long time coming for Aston Villa fans as anticipation about the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium grew and everyone knew we had a tough, but doable, clash with Derby County and all that rode on the game was £170 odd million and a return (finally) to the Premier League.
And we only went and bloody did it!
PLAY-OFF WINNERS. EVERYWHERE. 🏆#AVFC pic.twitter.com/JmHSDmy9h1
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 27, 2019
Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn is either half made it comfortable for a period, but Derby plodded and when Tyrone Mings went down injured they took full advantage to make it a one goal game. They couldn’t find the second though and despite a massive amount of injury time, we saw it through and Aston Villa are back in the Premier League.
The end of the game was not comfortable but the Play-Off trophy is ours and not only is the future bright, it’s claret and blue.
Speaking to the BBC following the fulltime whistle a proud and delighted Dean Smith said.
“Reality sets in now. Last time I was sat in a news conference after a Wembley final, I had lost 2-0 to Bristol City in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final with Walsall. It’s no more than we deserve because the players have made history. The potential here is massive. It feels right we are a Premier League club because of the history and the fan base that we have.”
There will be a hell of a lot more as the night goes on, but I don’t plan on being in charge of my faculties for much longer.
See ya, @SkyBetChamp 👋#AVFC pic.twitter.com/6fJrtGAElD
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 27, 2019
