Jack Grealish: I told Tammy Abraham to stay at Aston Villa in January

Abraham, who joined on loan from Chelsea last August, was heavily linked with a switch to Molineux, but he ultimately decided to remain at Villa Park and has gone on to play a major role in helping Dean Smith’s team reach the play-off final.

Abraham became the first player to score 25 goals in a league campaign for Villa since Andy Gray in 1977.

Grealish, who was injured at the time the striker was being chased by Wolves, told The Mirror: “I remember the manager ringing me and saying ‘I know you and Tammy are close – have a word with him’. I said to him: ‘Listen to your Uncle Jack, when I’m back (from injury) it will change’. I was just talking utter rubbish. I didn’t know it would (work).

“Luckily, I came back and it’s turned out all right. He (Tammy) has not said anything to me since then. But if we win at Wembley, it’ll be: ‘I told you we’d be all right.’”

Villa take on Derby next Monday for a place in the Premier League, with Grealish having helped spark a late season revival following his return from a fractured shin, which kept him sidelined until early March.

The 23-year-old was handed the captain’s armband by Smith as Villa embarked on a club record 10-match winning run.

Grealish said: “Honestly, I can’t put it into words what it would mean (to win promotion). It would mean everything.

“I used to love jumping into the bushes in my back garden, thinking I was jumping into the crowd after I scored in front of the Holte End. That was me.

“Score, jump over something and then bang – into a crowd of celebrating Villa fans – it was my trademark move.

“You know, sometimes I just pinch myself that it’s happening. When I’m leading the team, walking out on to the pitch, I’m still dreaming.

“I’m thinking to myself: ‘You’re captaining the Villa, here, son, get on with it.”