Jack Grealish: Aston Villa promotion was a true team effort

The 23-year-old, who skippered his boyhood club back to the Premier League with victory over Derby at Wembley on Monday, invited club captain James Chester to lift the play-off trophy alongside him.

Chester, a permanent fixture in Villa’s team for two-and-a-half seasons, has not played since January due to a knee injury.

Alan Hutton, the longest-serving member of Villa’s squad, also missed out on the squad at Wembley.

Grealish said: “I had to take him (Chester) up there. I think there are a few players who don’t get enough credit because we have gone on this unbeaten run.

“But the people like Hutts, Chezzie, they have all played as big a part as I have, as John McGinn has and as Tammy has.

“What they have done should not be forgotten. Before the game I said to Chezzie that if – and it was a big if – we won, I wanted him to go up with me.

“He wasn’t sure about it because that is the way you feel sometimes when you are not involved. I would feel the same.

“But I was insistent. He is the club captain and deserves this. Alan Hutton deserves this as much as we all do.

“I want to say a big shout out to every single member of staff and every single player. Everyone has contributed, no matter if they have played or not. It is a team thing and we would not have been able to do it without them.”

Villa will now begin preparations for life back in the top flight, with Grealish hopeful the club can hold on to the loan stars who helped them get there.

Axel Tuanzebe, Tyrone Mings, Tammy Abraham and Anwar El Ghazi all started at Wembley, with the latter netting Villa’s opening goal.

The 24-year-old’s season-long loan deal from Lille includes an option to buy.

Grealish said: “We will see what happens over the summer. We will have a little break now and come back raring to go.

“Every time I step on to the pitch with these guys I feel like I am going to win. Hopefully we can take that into next season.

“Some of the loan players, I would love to have them back – Tyrone, Axel, Tammy and Anwar.”

Abraham scored 26 goals on loan from Chelsea after turning down the chance to join Wolves in January.

Grealish, who was out injured with a fractured shin at the time, revealed he lied about his return date to help keep the striker at the club.

“Tammy was obviously close to leaving,” he said. “I had to keep lying to him, saying I would be back at the end of January.

“Really I knew I would not be back until March. I just wanted to get the window out of the way so he ended up staying.

“I always said to him, when I am back we will link up again, get in the play-offs and go up.”