Aston Villa’s top Premier League scorer, Gabby Agbonlahor has spoken about a story prior to a match against Derby County in 2008.
Cast your mind back to 2007/08, Villa are managed by Martin O’Neil and were boasted that iconic team everyone knows.
Featuring Olof Mellberg, Martin Laursen, Stiliyan Petrov, Gareth Barry, Ashley Young and John Carew, it was a great era.
Villa rocked up to Pride Park in April 2008 and dismantled a very poor Derby side, winning 6-0.
Six different goalscorers on the day, but it has been revealed that there was a competition within the Villa squad to score first.
What has Gabby Agbonlahor said about Derby County?
In the season in question, the Rams were relegated with a record low of points and were a very poor side overall.
Agbonlahor and his teammates knew this fact: “When we played against Derby the season that they went down, they were that bad that before the game we had a little laugh about it.
In the dressing room beforehand, the striker recalls: “Myself, Gareth Barry and Ashley Young, about who was going to score first.
“I was like ‘I’m scoring first’, Gareth Barry was like ‘no, I’m scoring first’ and Youngy was like ‘no, I’m scoring first’ – we all scored in the game and we won 6-0!”
There was no holding back from the Englishman who named it “The easiest game I’ve ever played in.”
To beat anyone by six is an achievement, but Agbonlahor put it down to their opponents as much as themselves.
“Derby were that bad, Stiliyan Petrov scored from the halfway line with his weaker foot, Marlon Harewood scored and John Carew came on and scored as well.”
On the final result for Derby, he sympathised: “They went down with 11 points and it’s not nice for the fanbase because at that time it was quite embarrassing for Derby.
“They were like the whipping boys.”
A good day for Villa fans to recall, tougher for Derby fans that is for sure.
