Aston Villa have seen an abundance of talent grace the club over the years, with some names more memorable than others with reference to the legacy they leave behind.
Unai Emery is in the process of writing his own legacy with the Villans, which he has started strongly by firing the Midlands side back into European competition for the first time in 2010.
The Spaniard joined the club back in October 2022 and hasn’t looked back, with only Pep Guardiola earning more points than him in 2023 in the Premier League.
As well as guiding Villa to make assured improvements on the pitch, the former Arsenal boss has inspired some players in particular to rediscover their form, with the likes of Tyrone Mings and John McGinn shining under his instruction.
While Emery spun the results of Steven Gerrard’s squad to take them from 16th to 7th during his first season, the Spaniard has continued the Englishman’s development of one notable player.
Aston Villa Premier League finishes since promotion
Season
Manager
Rank
2019/20
Dean Smith
17th
2020/21
Dean Smith
11th
2021/22
Steven Gerrard
14th
2022/23
Unai Emery
7th
Academy star Jacob Ramsey was unearthed by Dean Smith and nurtured by Gerrard, to then become a regular starter in the four-time Europa League winner’s system.
At just 22-years-old, the academy graduate has secured 101 senior appearances for his boyhood club, with many more expected to come once he recovers from injury.
The midfielder will hope to follow in the footsteps of other midfielders before him, with the benchmark high in terms of names he could one day aspire to reach, and surpass, the levels of at Villa Park.
How good was Fabian Delph?
With 134 appearances for Aston Villa, one memorable figure in midfield over the years for the club is Fabian Delph, who rewrote his own history from a positive to a negative narrative.
The Englishman was signed from Leeds United in 2009 for £8m on the back of some impressive performances for the Whites as a teen, inspiring Martin O’Neill to chase his services and obtain his signature at Villa Park.
During his time in the Midlands, the Bradford-born ace rose through the seasons of his career, going from a young prospect to an England international and a midfielder with expertise playing in the Premier League.
That wasn’t always the story for the Englishman, who suffered multiple injuries during his time at Villa, including an ACL rupture in 2010 that saw him miss a significant chunk of his development time.
The midfielder was also shipped back to Leeds for a half-season loan spell in the hope that he could rediscover his form and fitness, with the Villans remaining loyal to the player whom they saw so much potential in.
Things began to pick up for Delph from the 2012/13 campaign, where he emerged as a force to be reckoned with in midfield, maintaining his form into the next year that will go down as arguably his best term in the Midlands.
In the 2013/14 season, the former Villa ace showed why O’Neill pushed to bring him to the club, as he secured 34 Premier League appearances, contributing to six goals, scoring three and assisting three.
Such form earned him his first England call-up in September 2014, when Roy Hodgson handed him his debut in an international friendly against Norway.
The midfielder went on to receive 20 caps for his country, with four of them coming in the 2018 World Cup.
Delph owed a lot to Villa for sticking by him during the lows of his frequent injury issues, as well as giving him the space and tools to discover his form and quality in the top-flight, with him even tipped to be a “captain in the making” by Paul Lambert in 2015.
What happened to Fabian Delph?
2015 was a whirlwind year for Delph, who became a hero in the eyes of the Villa faithful as he suppressed interest from Manchester City to commit his future to the club and captain the club going forward.
The Englishman was rumoured to be wanted by City, and dealt with speculation the way that those in the Midlands would’ve wanted, setting “the record straight” to announce “I’m not leaving” via the club’s official site, relayed by the Guardian.
Not even a week later, and the midfielder was unveiled as a City player, as Manuel Pellegrini’s side exercised the £8m release clause in his contract, with the player accepting the move.
Delph didn’t have to “set the record straight” in the same way that Villa didn’t have to hand the player their full support at times when he wasn’t performing or fit, however the 25-year-old went against his word and left the club.
On his day, the Englishman was a superb member of Villa’s squad and an integral figure at the club, however he left a villain, and not the type that is lauded by those at Villa Park.
Could Jacob Ramsey succeed the legacy of Fabian Delph?
Villa fans will always remember Delph with a sense of hostility due to his actions, however the midfielder can be made forgettable with other talent poised to succeed his playing legacy at the club.
A fellow central midfielder, Ramsey is in position to surpass Delph’s legacy with ease, with him already recording more goal contributions to the shunned former player at the age of just 22.
In 101 senior appearances, the fellow Englishman has had a hand in 22 goals, scoring 12 and assisting 10, coming of age under Gerrard and continuing his development under Emery to be seen as a crucial member of the squad.
Born in Birmingham and a product of Villa’s academy, Ramsey is already a fan favourite at the club, as well as him being a “serious talent”, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango.
Already valued around the £50m mark, the tools are there for the midfielder to not only become one of the most memorable central midfielders in the Premier League era for Villa, but to also block out names such as Delph, who left a bitter taste in mouths in the Midlands.
The now-retired villain could have had a similar path at Villa Park, however his lack of loyalty can easily be replaced by players such as Ramsey, who are committed and thriving at the club, with no limit to just how far their talents can stretch.