Dean Smith challenges Aston Villa's players to make their own piece of history
Dean Smith has told his players they can write their names into Villa’s history by taking the club back to the Premier League.
Villa headed to Sheffield Wednesday today for a reunion with former boss Steve Bruce, aiming for a sixth straight Championship win to continue their surge up the table.
A perfect run through March saw Smith’s men climb from the bottom half of the table into the top six, raising hopes of a top-flight return at the third time of asking.
Last weekend’s win over Blackburn was watched by former club favourites Martin Laursen and Juan Pablo Angel.
Smith believes the reception received by both men by the crowd should act as inspiration to his team as they chase promotion.
He said: “It shows the history the club has. If our current players see the reception the old players coming back get, they’ll realise they are here to make their own history.
“We have a long way to go, but if we can get this club back into the Premier League, these players will be coming back for years to come.”
Smith has confirmed the fate of the club’s numerous out-of-contract players won’t be decided until the end of the season.
Defender Micah Richards, who has not played since October 2016, still attends Bodymoor Heath for gym work, but is expected to retire once his deal expires.
