The 2000–01 English football season was Aston Villa's 9th season in the Premier League and their 13th consecutive season in the top division of English football. Another season of decent (but rarely exciting) form saw Villa secure another top-10 finish, though this time they dipped slightly into eighth place after occupying sixth place a year earlier. Villa proved themselves as one of the hardest Premier League teams to beat, with only the top three sides suffering fewer defeats than Villa's 10, but a mere 13 wins and a staggering 15 draws ended any hopes of a title bid or even a top-six finish.

Juan Pablo Ángel (175) signed Villa on 12 January 2001, becoming the club's record signing at £9.5 million. Angel made his debut away to Manchester United in a 0–2 loss on 20 January 2001. Other debuts included Steve Staunton (208), Thomas Hitzlsperger (99), Alpay Özalan (58), David Ginola (41), Gilles De Bilde (4), and Luc Nilis (3).

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Premier League

Results summary

Results by matchday

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR37 January 2001 Newcastle UnitedA1–137,682Stone 54'R3R17 January 2001 Newcastle UnitedH1–025,387Vassell 50'R427 January 2001 Leicester CityH1–226,283Joachim 76'

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR31 November 2000 Manchester CityH0–124,138

Intertoto Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR3 1st Leg16 July 2000 FK Marila Příbram A0–07,852R3 2nd Leg22 July 2000 FK Marila Příbram H3–1 (won 3–1 on agg)8,200Dublin 8', Taylor 56', Nilis 62'SF 1st Leg26 July 2000 Celta de Vigo A0–114,000SF 2nd Leg2 August 2000 Celta de Vigo H1–2 (lost 1–3 on agg)11,909Barry (pen) 45'

Players First-team squad

# Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (age) Signed from Date signed Fee Apps Gls Goalkeepers 1 David James GK Welwyn Garden City Liverpool 17 June 1999 £1,700,000 39 0 13 Neil Cutler GK Perton Chester City 30 November 1999 Free transfer 1 0 39 Peter Enckelman GK Turku TPS 1 February 1999 £200,000 14 0 40 Matthew Ghent GK Burton upon Trent Academy 1 July 1997 0 0 Defenders 2 Mark Delaney RB Haverfordwest Cardiff City 9 March 1999 £250,000 38 1 3 Alan Wright LB Ashton-under-Lyne Blackburn Rovers 10 March 1995 £1,000,000 242 4 4 Gareth Southgate (c) CB Watford Crystal Palace 1 July 1995 £3,500,000 207 7 5 Ugo Ehiogu CB Hackney West Bromwich Albion 12 July 1991 £40,000 299 15 11* Steve Staunton LB Dundalk Liverpool 6 December 2000 Free transfer 264 17 15 Gareth Barry LB Hastings Academy 1 January 1998 83 3 16 Alpay Özalan CB İzmir Fenerbahçe 28 July 2000 £5,600,000 - - 23 Najwan Ghrayib LB Nazareth Hapoel Haifa 20 July 1999 £1,000,000 6 0 30 Jon Bewers RB Kettering Academy 1 July 1999 1 0 31 Jlloyd Samuel LB San Fernando Academy 1 January 1999 10 0 32 Aaron Lescott CB Birmingham Academy 1 July 1998 1 0 Midfielders 6 George Boateng CM Nkawkaw Coventry City 20 July 1999 £4,500,000 45 3 7 Ian Taylor CM Birmingham Sheffield Wednesday 21 December 1994 £1,000,000 220 32 10 Paul Merson AM Harlesden Middlesbrough 8 September 1998 £6,750,000 72 10 11 Alan Thompson LM Newcastle upon Tyne Bolton Wanderers 5 June 1998 £4,500,000 55 5 14 David Ginola LM Gassin Tottenham Hotspur 30 July 2000 £3,000,000 - - 17 Lee Hendrie RM Solihull Academy 1 July 1995 109 10 18 Steve Stone RM Gateshead Nottingham Forest 11 March 1999 £5,500,000 46 3 21 Thomas Hitzlsperger LM Munich Bayern Munich 5 August 2000 Free transfer - - 24 John McGrath CM Limerick Academy 1 July 1999 0 0 27 Michael Standing AM Shoreham-by-Sea Academy 1 July 1998 0 0 28 Gavin Melaugh CM Derry Academy 1 July 2000 - - 29 Stephen Cooke CM Walsall Academy 1 July 2000 - - Forwards 8 Juan Pablo Ángel CF Medellín River Plate 13 January 2001 £9,500,000 - - 9 Dion Dublin CF Leicester Coventry City 5 November 1998 £5,750,000 57 26 12 Julian Joachim CF Peterborough Leicester City 24 February 1996 £1,890,000 146 36 19 Richard Walker CF Bloxwich Academy 1 July 1997 8 2 20 Luc Nilis CF Hasselt PSV Eindhoven 1 July 2000 Free transfer - - 22 Darius Vassell CF Birmingham Academy 1 January 1998 28 2 25 Gilles De Bilde CF Zellik Sheffield Wednesday 3 January 2001 Loan - - 35 Neil Tarrant CF Darlington Ross County 28 April 1998 £250,000 0 0

Squad at end of season

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Under-19s The following players spent most of the season playing for the under-19s, but may have also appeared for the reserves or under-17s.

Under-17s The following players spent most of the season playing for the under-17s, but may have also appeared for the reserves or under-19s.

Other players The following players were signed to the club on unknown contractual terms, and did not appear for any team this season.

Statistics

Starting 11 Considering starts in all competitions

Transfers

Transferred in DatePosPlayerFromFee 1 July 2000 CF Luc Nilis PSV Eindhoven Free transfer 28 July 2000 CB Alpay Özalan Fenerbahçe £5,600,000 30 July 2000 LM David Ginola Tottenham Hotspur £3,000,000 5 August 2000 LM Thomas Hitzlsperger Bayern Munich Free transfer 6 December 2000 LB Steve Staunton Liverpool Free transfer 13 January 2001 CF Juan Pablo Ángel River Plate £9,500,000£18,100,000

Loaned in DatePosPlayerFromLoan End 10 October 2000 CF Gilles De Bilde Sheffield Wednesday 3 January 2001

Transferred out DatePosPlayerToFee 1 July 2000 CF Darren Byfield Walsall Free transfer 4 July 2000 RB Steve Watson Everton £2,500,000 17 July 2000 CM Mark Draper Southampton £1,250,000 9 August 2000 SS Benito Carbone Bradford City Free transfer 1 September 2000 LM Alan Thompson Celtic £2,750,000 3 October 2000 LB Aaron Lescott Sheffield Wednesday £100,000 20 October 2000 CB Ugo Ehiogu Middlesbrough £8,000,000 2 December 2000 GK Matthew Ghent Lincoln City Free transfer 24 January 2001 CF Luc Nilis Retired 26 January 2001 CF Mark DeBolla Charlton Athletic Free transfer 13 February 2001 LB Najwan Ghrayib Hapoel Haifa £150,000£14,750,000

Loaned out DatePosPlayerToLoan End 19 October 2000 CF Neil Tarrant York City 19 December 2000 15 December 2000 GK Neil Cutler Oxford United 27 February 2001 7 February 2001 CF Richard Walker Blackpool 31 May 2001

Overall transfer activity

Expenditure £18,100,000

Income £14,750,000

Balance £3,350,000

Notes

References

External links Aston Villa official website avfchistory.co.uk 2000–01 season