Source: TheGuardian
Dean Smith the lifelong fan at the heart of Aston Villa’s revival
The manager who used to sweep the steps of the Holte End has his eyes on a Premier League return as his side face DerbyIt was a moment to cut through the hyperbolic noise surrounding the Championship play-off final. All the talk about the richest game in football – £170m on offer to the winners, another year of hard graft for the losers – paled into insignificance as a hush fell over the stuffy media room at Aston Villa’s training ground when Dean Smith offered a glimpse into the pain he deals with away from his professional life.As a lifelong Villa fan, Smith does not need to be told how much it would mean to lead this storied club back into the Premier League. There is more than money at stake for Villa’s manager. He has come a long way since the days when he would clean the steps on the Holte End while his father, Ron, worked as a steward in the Trinity Road Stand at Villa Park. Related: Aston Villa beat West Brom on penalties to reach Championship play-off final Continue reading......read full article
