Feeling Young again! - Looking back at Ashley Young’s Aston Villa highlight reel

This picture from January 25, 2007 has a whole lot of nostalgia for Aston Villa fans of a certain age.

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

My first Villa kit had John Carew on the back of it (and I wrote about that during lockdown), but Ashley Young was a near choice. Now a whole new generation of Villans get to experience cheering on Ashley Young, albeit at a very different stage in his career and as a very different player.

Many times, when a name pop ups, the first place we all go is YouTube. This time around, I was able to enjoy watching some highlights that I remember well.

The Everton madness!

So many great memories.

He was SO good!

There is a reason why he was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2009.

Photo by Daniel Hambury - PA Images via Getty Images

In reality, he isn’t the player in the highlights above anymore. He reinvented himself as a full/wing-back at Manchester United when he fell out of favor as a winger. That kind of drive and professionalism can only help in the locker room at Villa Park. I don’t think anyone expects him to be given the starting position over Matty Targett, but Young will push him.

Head Coach Dean Smith said on the Villa website, “Ashley brings with him a wealth of experience of top-level football both at club and international level and he is joining having just won a league championship in Italy. He is a player who can play in a number of positions and having spoken to him at length, I know he is determined to make a real impact with us this season.”

At least he won’t be diving against Villa again!