goodbye

Dean Smith pens classy farewell letter to Aston Villa, expressing his pride in developing Jack Grealish and leaving the club in a better place than he found it

by · talkSPORT

Dean Smith has bid a classy farewell to Aston Villa following his sacking, saying: ‘I left the club in a better place than I found it’.

Smith was sacked following a 1-0 loss to Southampton which was Villa’s fifth on the bounce, leaving the club just outside of the relegation zone.

Dean Smith lost his dream job after a terrible run of five defeats on the bounceAFP
But local lad Smith had plenty of good times at the club, including promotion in 2019 and a Carabao Cup final in 2020GETTY

Boyhood Villa fan Smith was named as the club’s manager three years ago, tasked with bringing the former Premier League regulars out of the Championship.

Smith did so at the first time of asking via the play-offs in 2019, and has kept the Villians up ever since, but endured a tough summer where he lost star captain Jack Grealish to Manchester City.

Villa’s ownership have continued to spend, investing over £300million during the past three summer transfer windows, and were clearly hoping for further improvement this season.

Villa CEO Christian Purslow paid tribute to Smith after making the decision, saying: “He has represented the Club with distinction and dignity – universally liked and respected by everybody associated with Aston Villa – our staff, players and supporters alike. We wish him the very best.”

Christian Purslow was full of praise for the work Smith has done

And Smith has followed it up with a similarly thoughtful statement via the League Managers Association which can be read below:

“To be appointed the Head Coach of Aston Villa, the club I supported throughout my childhood, was and remains something I am extremely proud of.

“My initial remit was to try and lead the club back to the Premier League within a two-year period. Sitting in 15th position in the Championship when I arrived in October, managing to lead the team on a record-breaking ten match winning run and into the play-offs, where we would eventually win promotion thanks to a memorable day at Wembley Stadium, was, without doubt, an achievement that I will always look back on with pride.

Smith’s sharp turnaround at Villa was incredibly impressivegetty

“Having led the club back to the Premier League ahead of schedule and at the first time of asking after three years in the Championship, the next challenge was to help overhaul the squad and create a group good enough to survive that all-important first season back in the Premier League and, in doing so, I believe those achievements allowed the club to accelerate its ambitions to become an established Premier League club.

“My belief was that we would continue our progression this season. I understand the football industry and of course, I respect the owners’ decision, but I felt that with important players soon returning to full fitness we would achieve a top half finish.

“One of my roles as Head Coach at Aston Villa was to improve individual players to enhance on-field performance for the team. Playing a part in developing a player who would be transferred for a British record transfer fee, along with creating a pathway for a thriving academy, are all areas in which I feel I’ve more than contributed. I hope the culture and environment that has been created at both Bodymoor Heath and Villa Park will continue to flourish.

Smith helped turn Grealish into an England international, later earning Villa a whopping £100m through his saleGetty

“I would like to express my gratitude to the owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, for giving me the opportunity to manage this special club. I would also like to thank the CEO, Christian Purslow, with whom I enjoyed an excellent working relationship as well as the two Sporting Directors I worked alongside, Johan Lange and Jesus Garcia Pitarch. To the coaches, staff, and players, my sincere thanks to each and every one of them.

“Finally, to the Aston Villa fans who showed me nothing but love and support from my first day in the job to my last, a heartfelt thank you from my family and I. The Aston Villa board’s aims and ambitions are to take our club back into European football and I would love nothing more than seeing the club achieve that. I’ve always said that I was simply a custodian of this great football club, and my aim was to leave it in a better place than I found it. I believe that together we have achieved that.

“UTV.”

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is the bookies’ current favourite to take the reins at Villa Park, followed by Belgium manager Roberto Martinez and Smith’s former No.2, John Terry.