1874 - A show about Aston Villa (The Athletic)

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa football club. He's joined this week by Junior News Editor Holly Percival and London-based football journalist Flo Lloyd-Hughes. After a disappointing defeat at Tottenham on Sunday, we think about why Villa's midfield misfired and how the nascent strike partnership between Ings and Watkins is developing. We also catch up with the progress being made by new Aston Villa Women's manager Carla Ward. After a tough first season in the Women's Super League, Ward's side have taken an encouraging seven points from their first four games this season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Holly Percival takes the reins of our podcast all about Aston Villa Football Club. She is joined by podcast-regular, club correspondent Gregg Evans, and Wolverhampton Wanderers writer Tim Spiers. Dean Smith celebrated his third anniversary as Villa manager this week and the overwhelming sentiment is so-far-so-brilliant. Here's to another year of progress in the offing. Next up for Smith's side is the visit of Wolves, which could feature our player-in-focus, red-hot young striker Cameron Archer. It isn't a derby match, but it could get feisty nonetheless, and Tim has some words of caution for over-confident Villans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell is back in the hotseat for The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa football club, joined this week by the new team of regulars Gregg Evans and Holly Percival. First on the agenda, the disastrous collapse against Wolves at Villa Park on Saturday. In total control, two-nil up after eighty minutes, defeat seemed impossible. But, that was what happened, and Gregg is trying his best not to be too smug about set-pieces... Villa face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night, and we're joined by Art de Roche from The Athletic's Arsenal unit to discuss Emi Martinez, Emile Smith-Rowe, and the club's current struggles under Mikel Arteta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's weekly podcast all about Aston Villa Football Club with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. The disastrous collapse at Wolves rolled over into a miserable first half performance at the Emirates on Friday night, and Morgan Sanson was among the Villa contingent showing obvious signs of frustration. It'll be difficult to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat with Declan Rice-driven West Ham up next. Is Leon Bailey a must-start for that game as Villa try to find some inspiration? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell brings you the latest episode of The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and data specialist Mark Carey. A strong West Ham side came to Villa Park and made it four defeats in a row for the Villans; Dean Smith's future as manager will come into question if they can't get a result at Southampton on Friday. Mark joins us to look at the Ings Watkins strike partnership, one that's struggling to take shape, and to talk about how Smith can best deploy his new attacking players. The top three returns with a look back at some dodgy red card decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Dean Smith has presided over a remarkable spell of improvement at the Villa, but five consecutive Premier League defeats after a dismal end to the previous season forced the ownership's hand and he was dismissed with the team just two points above the relegation zone. Steven Gerrard is the favourite to take over, but can he be lured away from Rangers half way through a season? We also speak to Southampton writer Dan Sheldon about Friday's game, Danny Ings, and links to their manager Ralph Hassenhüttl. There's the small matter of a local derby in the WSL this weekend, before we finish with our top three (nay, five) Dean Smith moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Steven Gerrard has been in charge at Aston Villa for a few days now, although he won't have seen most of the players yet with the international window taking centre stage. We hear from the man himself, as well as Rangers reporter Jordan Campbell, as we consider "Gerrard's Villa" and the impact he'll have in his first game against Brighton at Villa Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with Junior Editor Holly Percival and Crystal Palace writer Matt Woosnam. No fireworks at Villa Park, but Steven Gerrard described the 2-0 win against Brighton as the perfect start, and it's difficult to disagree. It's a trip to Selhurst Park next as the fixtures pile up and we talk about Christian Benteke's recent upturn in form with Palace writer Matt Woosnam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Steven Gerrard suffered his first defeat as Villa manager but it was an encouraging second-half performance against Manchester City and, while only one member of the team spotted the incident, they could have taken a point with a late penalty. Dan loved his luxurious trip to Palace, Gregg tells us what the younger players will be up to now they're out of the Papa Johns', and Holly wonders how it's possible to be a professional 'keeper with no depth perception. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival, as well as Liverpool writer Simon Hughes. Villa hosted Leicester on Rainbow Laces weekend and, despite a slow start, it was a convincing win. That makes it three wins from four for Gerrard as he takes the team to his old stomping ground this weekend. We round up the latest news with the hilarious FA Cup draw, a tough week for the youth teams, and our Houllier-inspired top three manager cringe moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. The team have been short on Zs recently, but a win at Norwich has us in good spirits nevertheless. We look back at a great night for Jacob Ramsey and the academy in general. Burnley next, and that should be three more points. Liverpool wasn't so much fun, but we also talk about the reception various old boys have gotten in recent days, and check up on Villa's injury and illness with Covid causing problems across the division. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. After the Burnley game fell foul of Covid at the last minute, we look at the latest news from the squad and think tentatively about the Chelsea match scheduled for Boxing Day. And, with Christmas just around the corner, there's news of a special treat for listeners and we pick out our top three festive Villa moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  Wesley scores at last! 14:00   Could the cup run become a distraction? 16:14    Chesters return 18:20    Who takes the penalties? 26:30   Xmas fixture preview 29:45   The Villa Vault 34:15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on Villa's performances over Christmas. Have they shown that they can compete with anyone? They also discuss the recent criticism of Tyrone Mings' performances; and Dan claims Villa are playing the best football in the Premier League. And ahead of Friday's FA Cup tie with Liverpool, they debate whether Dean Smith should be resting players and prioritising the Premier League. SPECIAL JANUARY OFFER! Throughout January you can subscribe to The Athletic for a special discounted price. Enjoy great analysis and in-depth features from the very best football writers around, as well as ad-free versions of all our podcasts for less than £4 a month. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up and enjoy The Athletic throughout 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to look back on the performance of Villa's youngsters against Liverpool in the FA Cup. Which members of that team are most likely to break into the senior squad? And is Louie Barry ready for a place on the bench in the Premier League? They also look at whether Villa's transfer plans could now change in preparation for the upcoming fixture pile-up following the Covid postponements. And are Villa set to swoop for some of Birmingham City's academy stars? Plus...Dan lists his top 3 Aston Villa chants. SPECIAL JANUARY OFFER! Throughout January you can subscribe to The Athletic for a special price Enjoy great analysis and in-depth features from the very best football writers around, as well as ad-free versions of all our podcasts for less than a pound a week Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up, and enjoy The Athletic throughout 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on another controversial defeat for the Villa, as Dean Smith's side found themselves, yet again, on the receiving end of some questionable officiating.  They also debate whether Tyrone Mings was partly to blame for City's opener, and whether Ollie Watkins' lack of goals is starting to become a concern. They discuss the ever-changing role of John McGinn, and Gregg updates us on the latest transfer news. He tells us about the player Villa should be signing this month, and their long-term plans for attacking reinforcements. Plus...Dan lists his top 3 Villa away days. SPECIAL JANUARY OFFER! Throughout January you can subscribe to The Athletic for a special price. Enjoy great analysis and in-depth features from the very best football writers around, as well as ad-free versions of all our podcasts for less than a pound a week Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up, and enjoy The Athletic throughout 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on Aston Villa's 3-2 defeat to Burnley. They look for the positives from a game which proves Villa are fast-becoming one of the Premier League's most entertaining teams. They discuss the remaining few days of the transfer window. Can Dean Smith make a move for a forward before the deadline? And if not, what are their attacking options moving forward? SPECIAL JANUARY OFFER! Throughout January you can subscribe to The Athletic for a special price. Enjoy great analysis and in-depth features from the very best football writers around, as well as ad-free versions of all our podcasts for less than £1 a week. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up and enjoy The Athletic throughout 2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on Aston Villa's defeat to West Ham. They debate where Ross Barkley and Jack Grealish should be lining up in the Villa midfield. And they encourage fans to not over-react to the defeat. They look ahead to the Arsenal game and discuss how Villa can secure the three points on Saturday lunchtime. Plus...Dan reveals his top 5 Villa kits of all time. SPECIAL OFFER! Right now you can subscribe to The Athletic for a special price. Enjoy great analysis and in-depth features from the very best football writers around, as well as ad-free versions of all our podcasts for less than £1 a week. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up and enjoy The Athletic throughout 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to debate with Ollie Watkins is ready for an England call-up. They also look back on another victory over Arsenal and Gregg discusses his interview with Emi Martinez. Dan also lists his Top 3 Villa Hard-men  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans reports on the weekend's South Coast stalemate in conversation with Dan Bardell. Has Ross Barkley been unfairly singled out in what was an uninspiring performance from the whole team? Dan takes on his toughest top 3 yet; who are his best Villa strikers? And, we mark a year of football without fans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Superfan Dan Bardell grills The Athletic's Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans after another disappointing result against Leicester City. Will Dean Smith respond to that defeat by rotating the squad against Leeds? We take a look back at his selection policy so far this season. Dan picks out his top three graduates from the Villa academy and there are mixed emotions for both our hosts as we relive The Athletic's Villa quiz night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more great Aston Villa content make sure you subscribe to The Athletic. You can get a 40% discount on a subscription now by going to theathletic.com and entering the code 'villapod' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell & The Athletic's Gregg Evans relive the drama of that last-gasp winner against Watford and discuss the standout performers. Gregg gives you all you need to know about the recent new signings and it's quiz time in the Villa Vault - how much do you remember about player Villa bought in 2016?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1. The Academy Disappoints - 00:01 2. Jack and the Domino Effect - 27:30 3. What I miss about the football - 36:00 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe to The Athletic for great writing on Aston Villa. Go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up for a 30-Day Free Trial and enjoy our great content just as the Premier League makes its return Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2:20 - Review of Leicester game 11:10 - The midfield imbalance 19:35 - The Villa Vault 21:51 - Wesley chat 29:07 - Tribute to Ron Saunders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans sit down to discuss Gregg's Aston Villa's Team of the Decade. Subscribe to The Athletic using the special promo code UKPOD and receive 40% off! Also, subscribers will have access to exclusive episodes.SIGN UP NOW: http://theathletic.com/ukpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Everyone's feeling much better about things after a win away on the south coast. It may not have been the most fluent performance, but Steven Gerrard's decision to refresh the squad this week looks to have had the desired effect. Southampton are next and, while we are having nightmares about James Ward-Prowse, at least Danny Ings won't be trying to put the ball in the Villa net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and tactics writer Mark Carey. Philippe Coutinho has really hit his stride with Villa now and he pulled the strings as Southampton were put to the sword. We talk about a potential permanent deal for the Brazilian and consider how his performance compares to some of Villa's greatest individual displays. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with Junior Editor Holly Percival and North-East football journalist Dan Wales. Losing is never a good thing but the podcast team are in good spirits after Villa showed there isn't much difference in quality between themselves and Champions League hopefuls West Ham. Hannah Hampton almost earned the women's side a point against Chelsea, will she be courted by the league's bigger teams in the Summer? And with 18 year-old Filip Marschall doing well on loan at Gateshead, we speak to local journalist Dan Wales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with Junior Editor Holly Percival and football writer Nick Miller. It was a beautiful day on Saturday, but the football at Villa Park failed to match the backdrop, certainly as far as the home side were concerned anyway. Dan and Holly reluctantly go over the ins and outs of defeat to Arsenal, and Nick Miller is on the line to tell us why he thinks Steven Gerrard could have thought twice before advising Bukayo Saka on toughness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with Junior Editor Holly Percival. It's been a good week for our international contingent with England goals for Mings, Watkins, and Ramsey, World Cup qualification for Matty Cash, and plenty more besides. And Gregg Evans has been conspicuous by his absence on recent podcasts but he did catch up with Shaun Maloney, who had some interesting things to say about his time at Villa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans. Yes, Global Gregg is back after three weeks away but, just when you thought we'd have a full complement, Holly Percival's entire neighbourhood suffered a catastrophic internet breakdown. On the agenda, cutting out the individual errors that are undermining the team's performances, and then putting the progress of the last few years into some perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Spurs' strikers put us to the sword at the weekend, while our attackers (especially the strikers) continued to misfire. As Villa Park emptied halfway through the second half, it felt like the end of the season couldn't come soon enough. Is there a shortage of leadership in the team, and what can Steven Gerrard and the club's backroom staff do to fix that? Will it be a significant factor in the club's transfer strategy this Summer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Villa's men had a weekend off so we took the opportunity to have a little think about what we want to see from them for the rest of the season with help from Athletic subscribers. There are plenty of questions, primarily in midfield, but in the attacking third as well, and as the WSL season reaches its own endpoint, are Carla Ward's charges in a good position to improve next term? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Villa's Men's and Women's teams both drew nil-nil at the weekend, but both results represented a step in the right direction. Jacob Ramsey signed a new contract with the club, a fair reward at the end of his breakthrough season. Meanwhile, his brother Aaron scored the first goal of his professional career (and there's a third Ramsey on the way in the shape of academy prospect Cole!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts a special edition of The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa FC with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival, and an exclusive interview with the manager of Aston Villa Women, Carla Ward. Can Villa fans really justify disappointment with a 2-0 win, even if it was against the bottom side, and now relegated, Norwich City. Spoiler alert, we don't think so. Carla Ward has provided stability and drive to Aston Villa Women this season, but how high are they aiming next season, and can we expect significant reinforcements? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with a special appearance from The Athletic's Senior Football Writer Oli Kay. It was a good week for Villa's men who won comfortably at Burnley before giving quadruple-chasing Liverpool a run for their money at Villa Park. And, while it was a disappointing result for the women's team in the second city derby, a record crowd saw off Anita Asante in style and there's hope that the Villans can add goals to their strong passing game next season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell celebrates the permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho with club correspondent Gregg Evans on The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa. At a reduced fee, and with a significant wage cut for the player, it looks like Villa's administrators have played a blinder, but is Barcelona's 50% share of a future transfer fee significant? Considering the ink was still fresh on that deal, and with a tribute to Villa's European Cup winners before kick-off, the performance against Palace, and the crowd, were strangely flat. What explains the muted atmosphere at Villa Park of late? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts a review of the season with club correspondent Gregg Evans on The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa. A remarkable match on the final day of the Premier League saw Villa lead Manchester City by two goals only to concede three times inside six minutes. The frustration of that collapse mirrored the sense of disappointment that ran through most of our listener messages. Here's hoping for a more settled preparation and a positive start to the next campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate the return of football we're offering 40% off a subscription to The Athletic. Sign up right now to enjoy all our great football writing for less than £3 a month just as the season draws to a close. Go to www.theathletic.com/villapod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right now we're offering listeners of this show the opportunity to try out The Athletic for FREE You can enjoy all of our great writing on the Villa, including a recent article on the club's hunt for a new keeper, and a piece on how the club are willing to relax the wage structure to improve the squad Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up for a 30 Day Free Trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to react to Villa's impressive victory over West Brom. Are Villa genuine contenders for European football this season? They also discuss the lack of goals from Ollie Watkins. But is he doing enough for the team to mean the shortage of goals is not a problem? There's more praise for Douglas Luiz. But should fans be worried that City could bring him back next summer?  Plus, they look ahead to the January transfer window. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on the Villa's historic 7-2 victory over Liverpool. They ask whether it could be considered the greatest Aston Villa performance of all time. Is Jack Grealish the best attacking player in the Premier League right now? And just how did Dean Smith's team make the champions look so bad? They also review Aston Villa's business in the transfer market as the window closes. Should it be considered a success after such a great start to the season? Or are there still some concerning holes in the squad? SPECIAL OFFER! For a limited time only we're offering you the chance to subscribe to The Athletic for just £1 a month. You can read all of Gregg's writing on the Villa and so much more, including his article about the extraordinary 7-2 win over Liverpool, which he described as the greatest game he's ever seen. There's also plenty of exclusive deadline day content for you to enjoy too. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to bring you an exclusive interview with Howard Hodgson, the Villa fan who nearly bought the club. Howard shares his story on how close he came to a takeover, and discusses Villa's financial plight at the time. They also debate Jack Grealish's role for England. Why is Gareth Southgate so unwilling to find a place for Jack in his team? And is Mings set to replace Harry Maguire in the starting XI? They also build up to the Premier League match against Leicester and focus on the career of Ollie Watkins. SPECIAL OFFER! For a limited time only we're offering you the chance to subscribe to The Athletic for just £1 a month. You can read all of Gregg's articles on the Villa, including his pieces this week on Ollie Watkins and the Villa fan who nearly bought the club. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on another win for Aston Villa, this time a 1-0 victory away at Leicester. They discuss what's changed this season to make the team so solid and consistent so far. They pick out the key performers and ask whether playing in front of an empty stadium has actually helped Dean Smith's side. But is there a cause for concern in a lack of squad depth? Should fans be worried about the dearth of talent behind Ollie Watkins in attack? Or are we just looking for reasons to complain? SPECIAL OFFER! For a limited time only we're offering you the chance to subscribe to The Athletic for just £1 a month. You can read all of Gregg's articles on the Villa, and much more. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on Villa's defeat to Leeds. Why did they find it so hard to deal with Leeds attack? Is Watkins form a cause for concern? And is there a significant lack of quality outside the starting 11? SPECIAL OFFER This is your last chance to sign up to The Athletic for £1 a month. You'll be able to read all of Gregg's articles on Villa and much more if you sign up to The Athletic this week. Just to www.theathletic.com/villapod to subscribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to react to Villa's 4-3 defeat to Southampton. They discuss how Dean Smith's side have become so open in recent weeks. Should Villa fans be concerned? Or are expectations too high after a great start to the season? Dan explains why he thinks Villa will win at Arsenal next weekend, and Gregg discusses his exclusive interview with former striker Luc Nilis SPECIAL OFFER! Right now you can sign up to The Athletic for just £1 a week. You can read all of Gregg's articles on The Villa and so much more, including his brilliant recent interview with the club's former striker Luc Nilis. Go to theathletic.com/villapod and sign up for just £1 a week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to look back on Villa's brilliant 3-0 win at Arsenal.  They reflect on another 'world class' performance from Jack Grealish, and his attacking midfield partnership with Ross Barkley.  There's praise for Trezeguet's hard work and Martinez on his return to The Emirates. SPECIAL OFFER! Right now you can subscribe to The Athletic for just £1 a week. You can read all of Gregg's articles on The Villa and so much more Go to theathletic.com/villapod and sign up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans and Dan Bardell reflect on another fantastic performance from Jack Grealish, but this time for England. They debate where he should play in Gareth Southgate's starting 11 and which players should line up alongside him in England's attack. There's a special interview with Villa cult-hero Tommy Johnson, and they preview this weekend's game against Brighton SPECIAL OFFER! Right now you can subscribe to The Athletic for just a pound. Read all of Gregg's articles on the Villa and so much more. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to reflect on the Villa's latest home defeat to Brighton. Why do the team continue to struggle at Villa Park? Were there simply too many players suffering from fatigue after the international break? They have a lively debate over the controversial penalty decision; and how do Villa improve their form against teams below them in the table? SPECIAL OFFER! Right now you can subscribe to The Athletic for just £1 a week. You can read all of Gregg's articles on Villa and so much more, as well as all of our podcasts ad-free. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to discuss Aston Villa's 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Monday night. They reflect on a positive display, and praise the performances of Douglas Luiz and Jack Grealish. They debate whether Jack should be taking the penalties, comparisons with Eden Hazard, and of course another controversial VAR decision. Gregg also discusses his recent in-depth article about the club's owners. SPECIAL BLACK FRIDAY OFFER! Take advantage of our Black Friday offer and sign up to The Athletic for just £1 a month for 12 months. Access all of our articles on the Villa and the Premier League for our best ever price. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up. The offer is for new subscribers only and you can cancel at any time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Dan Bardell is joined by The Athletic's Wolves writer Tim Spiers to look ahead to this weekend's Midlands derby. Saturday's game is also Villa's Rainbow laces so Dan speak to Sam Timms, founder of Villa & Proud. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Dan sidelined by illness, Gregg steps up - ahead of the biggest game of Villa's season - to interview the former Villa defender Stephen Warnock: A proud member of the last Villa team to reach the League Cup Final back in 2010... Stephen reveals where that Martin O'Neill side fell short, Fabio Capello's England advice (cover your ears Jack), as well as, what defeat on Sunday could mean for Villa's survival hopes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans look back on the club's semi-final victory over Leicester City. Do they have a chance in the Carabao Cup Final? Gregg also brings us the latest transfer news, including James Chester's departure. And could there be a return to Villa Park for Christian Benteke? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sign up today for a 40% discount to The Athletic, simply by visiting theathletic.com/villapod and enjoy the best football writing and ad-free podcasts, just as the Premier League returns for less than £3 a month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe to The Athletic for more on Aston Villa. You can sign up for just £1 a month by going to www.theathletic.com/breakingnewspod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan & Gregg are joined by the former Aston Villa Chairman, Steve Hollis, to discuss a brief yet turbulent stint at the club back in 2016... Steve talks about the difficulties in adjusting to the 'unique' football club environment, a genuine affection for the people at the club and the events which lead to the sale of Villa to Dr. Tony Xia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate the return of the Premier League we're offering 40% off a subscription to The Athletic. Sign up for less than £3 a month to enjoy all of our great football writing by going to www.theathletic.com/villapod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell joins The Athletic's Gregg Evans to conduct a post-mortem on that humbling defeat to Manchester City.. The lads also talk potential reinforcements including the signing on loan of Pepe Reina and Dan asks if a Christian Benteke return would work for Villa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa, Dan Bardell and Gregg Evans sit down with Conor Hourihane for a full and frank breakdown of his time at Aston Villa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardells hosts The Athletic's Aston Villa podcast with correspondent Gregg Evans. Another midweek defeat, this time to the Premier League's basement dwellers Sheffield United. Are Villa doomed to defeat every time they go behind? With that in mind, it's a good thing the Emi Martinez has been in such good form, but will the Argentinian make it into Dan's Top 3 custodians? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The form's not great but, with Spring approaching, Villa are safe in mid-table and Dan Bardell is a happy fan as he sits down with The Athletic's Gregg Evans. Perhaps more than any other Premier League club, Villa will be keen to hear about Gareth Southgate's next selection announcement. Might we see Ezri Konsa partner Tyrone Mings for the Three Lions? Plenty of chat about that, Jack Grealish, Dean Smith's best midfield, and Dan's top three Villa books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Villa lost without Jack Grealish? Dan Bardell considers the importance of the figurehead on The Athletic's Aston Villa podcast with club correspondent Gregg Evans. A disappointing performance away at Newcastle yields a single point despite Villa taking the lead late in the game. What does Dean Smith need to do to revive the team's fortunes? If he can do it, European football is still be a realistic target. We consider the club's transfer strategy and Dan picks his top 3 foreign imports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arch-Villan Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans look back at a great week for Ollie Watkins who scored on his England debut against San Marino. It's reasonable to look at that moment as the vindication of a move to focus on domestic signings. This came after a less successful spell recruiting in the Belgian market, which Gregg has been writing about this week. With Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings already involved, and the likes of Ezri Konsa an outside shout, there could be plenty of interest for Villa fans come the European Championships. Plenty of chat on that, and all your questions in a mailbag special feature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to dig through another week of club-specific news and analysis. It's round two of listener questions and we address the Jack Grealish issue we dodged last week and Ross Barkley's recent wobble in form. There's news of a familiar face getting involved again behind the scenes and the lads expose their ignorance when it comes to cinematic adaptations of young-adult fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megafan and international brand Dan Bardell quizzes club correspodent Gregg Evans on the Athletic's Aston Villa podcast. The bench did the business for Villa at the weekend, so we asked Dan to pick his top three substitutes. Plus, the latest on Jack Grealish's injury and another woeful foray into the world of film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aston Villa die-hard Dan Bardell isn't a happy man as he sits down to dissect the club's week on this Athletic podcast with writer Gregg Evans. In his humble opinion, the side showed too much respect for Liverpool at the weekend. The Reds may be defending champions but, despite clear progress, Villa are finishing the season with a whimper and it certainly won't be making the list of Dan's Top 3 PL seasons (for entertainment value). There may be deeper concerns, too, with our midfield men struggling to hit the high standards of performance that they have set themselves in the past. There wouldn't be any room for complacency in our Villa boyband, that's for sure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aston Villa's most dedicated purchaser of merchandise, Dan Bardell, nurses a delicate Gregg Evans through the latest edition of The Athletic's weekly word on all things Villa. The European Super League dominated the headlines throughout a crazy week and Villa manager Dean Smith provided one of the most articulate rebuttals of the ill-fated venture. Dan and Gregg reflect on that, as well as the clash with champions-elect Manchester City. The match couldn't have started better for the Villans, so what went wrong? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mega-Villan and social media buzz-generator Dan Bardell hosts the latest edition of The Athletic's Aston Villa podcast with club correspondent Gregg Evans. Keinan Davis got his first Premier League goal and, while it may not have much impact on Villa's league position, it was an important one in many ways. Everton at Goodison Park will provide a sterner test next time out; has Davis earned a start? And what about Carney Chukwuemeka? The 17 year-old midfielder was the star and scored a hat-trick as Villa's U18 demolished Newcastle in the FA Youth Cup and he is supposed to be on a fast-track to first-team football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell, still recovering from a weekend without social media, hosts The Athletic's weekly Aston Villa podcast with club correspondent Gregg Evans. Gregg provides an update from court where PC Benjamin Monk is facing a charge of murder after the death of Dalian Atkinson in 2016. On the pitch, goals from Ollie Watkins and Anwar El Ghazi delivered an excellent win at Goodison Park; arguably the best away result of the season. We look a bit closer at Ross Barkley, who played really well again at Everton prompting a possible rethink on his future, and Dan picks out the club's top three closest rivals from the Premier League era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts the Athletic's Aston Villa podcast, featuring a special episode-long interview with former player and academy graduate Stefan Moore. Stefan sat down with Dan and Gregg Evans to discuss his career, from FA Youth Cup glory, a goalscoring Premier League debut, to a journeyman existence taking in every tier of professional football. Speaking with great candour about the mistakes he made early on and the reasons why he couldn't sustain his early success, this is a fascinating conversation for Villa fans and hopeful young footballers alike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's club correspondent Gregg Evans provides a grounding influence on our Aston Villa podcast with host Dan Bardell in rather giddy mood. No, it's not because he's got a truckload of free designer clobber for being a massive influencer, although that is probably true. Dan is cockahoop because Villa took all three points at Spurs, will probably beat Chelsea in front of their own fans too, and the kids are gonna win the cup! We've got a full breakdown of the great performance at Tottenham and a preview of a great weekend to come, plus find out if Spurs make it into Dan's Top 3 "oppo". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Euros are almost here and the domestic season is done and dusted. Dan "people say a lot of nice things about me on social media" Bardell hosts The Athletic's last Aston Villa podcast of 2020/21 with our industrious club correspondent Gregg Evans. Thanks to a slightly surprising final day win over Chelsea, and an entirely expected victory over Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup, the Villans finished the season on a real high. Dan picks out his Top 3 moments from an enormously satisfying campaign. The return of fans put the icing on the happiness cake, but what is required for the club's leadership to harness that positive feeling, do the necessary transfer business, and strike hard for European qualification next term? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer The Athletic is bringing you the ultimate guide to the past eight European Championships.  So as the continent gears up for Euro 2020, you can head back in time to the tournaments of yesteryear to hear memories, stories and music from some of your favourite football journalists. Go to the 'Beyond The Headline' feed wherever you get your podcasts, or listen ad-free via The Athletic app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival, plus special guest Andy Mitten. We've all had a chance to calm down after the Brentford loss, but we're hoping Steven Gerrard has impressed upon the players that he won't tolerate a second-half performance like that. Into January, then, and not much transfer business yet, but we do have the pressing matter of a league/cup double header with Manchester United. We're joined by one of the most well connected men in the United press box to talk about how vulnerable the Red Devils are right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. We're still celebrating the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, with Lucas Digne poised to follow him through the door, as Steven Gerrard looks to bring in high-calibre players. It hasn't totally taken the edge off things, but VAR did spoil our weekend (especially Dan). The FA Cup defeat at Old Trafford was in spite of a very positive performance and Villa could well be favourites going into the reverse fixture in the league this Saturday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Debutants with links to both halves of Merseyside played significant roles in the club's creditable draw with Manchester Utd at the weekend. With a trip to Goodison Park next, we welcome Greg O'Keeffe to the show to give us the inside track on the turmoil at Everton. Both clubs should be OK with regards to relegation from the Premier League, although nerves are jangling a bit more when it comes to Villa's Women who face a crucial trip to Leicester in the WSL, and there's a quick update on the U23s and what might happen next in the transfer market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Steven Gerrard and Carla Ward led their teams to crucial victories this weekend as Villa's men and women both effectively ended any relegation fears. We look at the form of the match-winners, Lucas Digne and Alisha Lehmann. The women were also celebrating a transfer coup in the shape of midfielder Jill Scott, could the men repeat the trick with Juventus's Rodrigo Betancur? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. With Emi Martinez extending his contract and Callum Chambers added to the signings of Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, and Robin Olsen, we're feeling pretty chirpy about the club's business in January. We also take a closer look at Matt Targett's departure and the future of Douglas Luiz; will it be in claret and blue? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. Villa's dismal run in Newcastle continued and Steven Gerrard looked at a loss for the first time since taking charge. We're expecting changes to the line-up for the Watford match, but we have very little idea of where they can come from. Carla Ward spoke to Flo Lloyd-Hughes about the stresses of a hectic life as a football manager and we get a quick update on the fall-out from the abandoned FIFA World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans and Newcastle writer Chris Waugh. There's no getting away from the disappointment of last night's draw with Leeds, but it was a great game to watch and Jacob Ramsey is now being talked about as a potential player of the season. Of course, he'll have some competition from Philippe Coutinho for that title, but they will both be a handful for Newcastle this Sunday, and they'll need to be if Villa are to put an end to an awful streak at St. James's Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa with club correspondent Gregg Evans. Holly Percival couldn't make it this week, but don't worry she's not feeling ruff... Boos echoed around Villa Park at the final whistle on Saturday, but how badly are the team doing now that Steven Gerrard's honeymoon period has well and truly come to a close, and what's to be done to right the ship? We take a closer look at some of the bigger problems using your questions and comments, and try to cheer ourselves up with more positive news courtesy of Hannah Hampton and Cameron Archer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And Son had a broken arm! - 00:01  Have we got time for Drinkwater to get up to speed? - 13:00  Gregg answers your Qs - 16:45  The Punjabi Villans - 24:43  Supporting Engels - 33:30  The Villa Vault - 39:42 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more great Aston Villa content make sure you subscribe to The Athletic. Sign up by going to www.theathletic.com/villapod to take advantage of our 30 Day Free Trial just as the Premier League returns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans, welcome DJ (and ST holder) Nathan Dawe to the show!... Nathan talks about his new single, 'Flowers' and how it feels to hear his music playing out around Villa Park. Plus, how he fell in love with the club and his set at BOXPARK Wembley with Ian Taylor before the League Cup Final! The guys also discuss whether the No. 9 shirt is cursed and Gregg's interview with Juan Pablo Angel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aston Villa legend Ian Taylor gives Dan Bardell & The Athletic's Gregg Evans an open and candid verdict on a selection of players loved and loathed by the Villa Park faithful. Ian reveals why he never had England boss Gareth Southgate down as a manager, the player he feels should have had more England recognition, a hilarious story involving David Ginola and the unlikely duo he went he joined on a beano to Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins host Dan Bardell to dissect the way Dean Smith's playing style changed over the course of their maiden year back in the big time... Plus, how the hiatus might have actually benefitted players like Samatta, McGinn & El Ghazi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Premier League football is back underway and right now we're offering a 30-Day Free Trial to The Athletic for a limited time only.  Click here  to sign up and try out our great content up until the end of the season. It's the best place to follow all the latest on the Villa as we battle against the drop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Was one manager to blame for a career cut short by injury? How difficult was it to say goodbye to the Holte End? Was it a mistake to let a young Gary Cahill leave the club? Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans are joined by the former Aston Villa captain Martin Laursen for an exclusive interview into the euphoric highs and painful lows of his time at Villa Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Dan Bardell is joined by The Athletic's Gregg Evans to discuss the Villa squad - Who should stay and who should go? Is there an growing chance that Jack Grealish might stay another season after all? Plus, Gregg details the role of new Sporting Director Johan Lange and why Suso deserves some credit.    Get access to The Athletic for FREE right now and enjoy a host of great articles on Aston Villa and much more. Go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up and take advantage of our 30-Day Free Trial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Bardell hosts a special edition of The Athletic's podcast all about Aston Villa FC with regular contributors, club correspondent Gregg Evans and Junior Editor Holly Percival. We've barely had a chance to draw breath since the departure of Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard has already been appointed as the new manager. He's expected to bring his highly regarded support staff with him from Rangers and we're all excited to see what he can do starting with Brighton at Villa Park a week on Saturday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of our exclusive interview with the former Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans discuss Der Hammer's reasons for leaving Villa Park. He reminisces about derby games against Birmingham City and his former team-mates at the club. He also reveals the player who refused to swap shirts at the end of an international game for Germany. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus podcast we bring you an exclusive interview with Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1. Did Man City even care about winning it!? - 00:01 2. Team Selection - 11:45 3. Grealish v Foden - 16:40 4. Leicester preview - 24:10 5. Villa Vault - Grealish the captain - 31:05 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins Dan Bardell to look back on a dramatic final day as Villa secured their place in the Premier League for another season at least! Praise is heaped on manager Dean Smith as the pair discuss his future at the club... Plus, Gregg offers some insight on the club's potential transfer dealings, including the latest on the future of Douglas Luiz, and whether or not the club can hang onto Jack Grealish now he's helped rescue them from relegation.    Get access to The Athletic for FREE right now and enjoy a host of great articles on Aston Villa and much more. Go to www.theathletic.com/villapod to sign up and take advantage of our 30-Day Free Trial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dan Bardell and The Athletic's Gregg Evans sit down (remotely, of course) to interview the inimitable Mark Bosnich - The interview features previously un-told tales about relationships with John Gregory, Dwight Yorke, superstition, chasing trophies and the truth about his decision to leave Villa Park... Plus, the latest on the impact of COVID-19 and Mark's thoughts on relegation, a rotating cast of goalkeepers, Jack Grealish and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For a limited time only we're offering you the opportunity to subscribe to The Athletic for just £1 a month. You can read all of Gregg's work on the Villa, including a recent article where he tells us what he thinks is Dean Smith's best starting 11 this season. Just go to www.theathletic.com/villapod and sign up for the special price of just £1 a month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Villa defender Curtis Davies joins Dan Bardell & Gregg Evans, for what is at times a brutally honest assessment of his time with the club... Curtis opens up about playing for Martin O'Neill, being called up by Fabio Capello, being in Laursen's shadow and plenty more besides! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Gregg Evans joins host Dan Bardell, following Wednesday's shock win over Arsenal at Villa Park... And with their Premier League survival now firmly in their own hands, heading into the last game of the season, the guys discuss their unlikely heroes & preview the trip to West Ham! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices