The 2018-19 season was Aston Villa's 3rd season in the Football League Championship. The 2018–19 EFL Championship season was Villa's 144th season in English football. It was the club's third consecutive season in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League in the 2015–16 season. Villa finished in fifth place and were the winners of the subsequent play-offs to achieve promotion to the Premier League.
In July 2018, a consortium consisting of Nassef Sawiris and fellow billionaire Wes Edens, referring to themselves as NSWE, purchased a 55% controlling stake worth £30m in English Championship club Aston Villa. The club had faced significant cash flow issues under previous owner Tony Xia, and faced a potential winding-up order by HMRC, following an unpaid £4m tax bill. Following the takeover, NSWE invested significant funds into addressing said issues.
Villa surrendered a two-goal lead, drawing 3–3 at home to bottom club Preston North End on 2 October 2018. One spectator threw a cabbage at manager, Steve Bruce, and there were calls from home fans on the Holte End for Bruce to go. The following day, he was sacked by Villa after a poor run of form. A week later, Dean Smith was appointed manager with the club in 15th place, with John Terry as his assistant coach.
Smith was named as the EFL's manager of the week after overseeing a 3–0 win at Derby County on 10 November. He immediately managed to reinvigorate the "Villans" attack, and only a controversial injury-time equaliser from local rivals West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns denied them a place in the play-offs by 7 December. However Villa's form dipped dramatically in the three months after Jack Grealish was sidelined with a shin injury picked up in that match, but on 2 March, Smith gave Grealish the captaincy on his return to the first-team and the 23-year old inspired an important 4–0 victory over play-off rivals Derby County and went on to captain the team from that game onwards.
Smith was given that month's EFL Championship Manager of the Month award after achieving five wins in five games, including a 1–0 victory over Second City derby rivals Birmingham City on 10 March with Grealish scoring the only goal. Earlier in the match, Grealish was "punched from behind by a pitch invader" who was then sent to prison for 14 weeks for pitch encroachment and assault. Following Villa's promotion, the teams have not met since.
On 22 April 2019, the team surpassed a 109 year old club record for longest winning run after defeating Millwall 1–0 at Villa Park to make it 10 successive victories in 10 matches. The record had previously been held at nine straight wins. On 11 May, the new manager oversaw his 18th win with Aston Villa as they came from behind to beat West Brom 2–1 in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-finals. Three days later, Villa came from behind at West Brom to win on penalties and secure a place in the play-off final. Villa went on to win promotion to the Premier League with a 2–1 victory over Derby County.
Competitions Pre-season friendlies Villa announced friendlies with AFC Telford United, Kidderminster Harriers, Walsall and Dynamo Dresden.
Championship
League table
Results by matchday
Result summary
Matches On 21 June 2018, the Championship fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.
Playoffs On 22 April 2019, Aston Villa confirmed their place in this year's EFL Championship playoffs. On 30 April 2019, Aston Villa confirmed 5th place in this year's Championship and would therefore play their first leg at home. The date is set for Saturday 11 May 2019 at 12:30pm.
FA Cup
The third round draw was made live on BBC by Ruud Gullit and Paul Ince from Stamford Bridge on 3 December 2018.
EFL Cup
On 15 June 2018, the draw for the first round was made in Vietnam. The second round was drawn by Chris Waddle and Mick McCarthy on 16 August 2018.
Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 30 June 2018 GK Viljami Sinisalo FC Espoo Undisclosed 13 July 2018 LW Tyreik Wright Lakewood Athletic Undisclosed 7 August 2018 GK Ørjan Nyland Ingolstadt 04 Undisclosed 8 August 2018 CM John McGinn Hibernian £2,500,000 29 September 2018 GK Ákos Onódi Győri ETO FC Undisclosed 1 January 2019 GK Lovre Kalinić K.A.A. Gent Undisclosed 29 January 2019 WG Jaden Philogene Pro:Direct Academy 31 January 2019 RB Frédéric Guilbert SM Caen Undisclosed
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1 July 2018 CF Gabriel Agbonlahor Free agent Released 1 July 2018 LB Jordan Amavi Marseille £9,000,000 1 July 2018 CB James Finnerty Rochdale Free transfer 1 July 2018 RM Carles Gil RC Deportivo Undisclosed 1 July 2018 GK Pierluigi Gollini Atalanta £3,750,000 1 July 2018 GK Emmanuel Idem Macclesfield Town Released 1 July 2018 CB Christopher Samba Free agent Released 1 July 2018 CB John Terry Free agent Mutual consent 3 August 2018 GK Viktor Johansson Leicester City Free transfer 31 January 2019 CB Jacob Bedeau Scunthorpe United Free transfer 18 March 2019 MF Jordan Lyden Free agent Released 3 May 2019LBMitch ClarkFree agentReleased
Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref. 26 July 2018 GK André Moreira Atlético Madrid 23 January 2019 6 August 2018 CB Axel Tuanzebe Manchester United 31 May 2019 22 August 2018FWAnwar El Ghazi Lille31 May 201925 August 2018MFYannick BolasieEverton21 January 201931 August 2018FWTammy Abraham Chelsea31 May 2019 7 January 2019 CB Kortney Hause Wolverhampton Wanderers 31 May 2019 31 January 2019 CM Tom Carroll Swansea City 4 April 2019 31 January 2019 CB Tyrone Mings Bournemouth 31 May 2019
Loans out Start date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref. 9 August 2018 MF Gary Gardner Birmingham City 31 May 2019 10 August 2018 GK Jed Steer Charlton Athletic 31 December 2018 16 August 2018DFMitchell Clark Port Vale31 May 2019 17 August 2018DFEasah Suliman FC Emmen28 December 201829 August 2018MFAaron Tshibola Kilmarnock31 May 201929 August 2018MFAndre Green Portsmouth17 January 201931 August 2018DFTommy Elphick Hull City29 December 201831 August 2018MFJordan Lyden Oldham Athletic7 January 201931 August 2018FWKelsey Mooney Cheltenham TownJanuary 201914 September 2018DFRitchie De Laet Melbourne City31 May 201919 September 2018FWRoss McCormack Central Coast Mariners5 January 20195 January 2019SSRoss McCormack Motherwell31 May 201911 January 2019CFRushian Hepburn-Murphy Cambridge United31 May 201929 January 2019CMCallum O'Hare Carlisle United31 May 201931 January 2019CMCorey Blackett-Taylor Walsall31 May 201931 January 2019RBJames Bree Ipswich Town31 May 201931 January 2019CMJake Doyle-Hayes Cambridge United31 May 201931 January 2019CFScott Hogan Sheffield United31 May 201931 January 2019CFHarry McKirdy Newport County31 May 201931 January 2019RBFrederic Guilbert SM Caen31 May 201916 March 2019CMAlexander Prosser Brackley Town31 May 2019
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred or loaned out during the season
Disciplinary record +Disciplinary RecordsPlayerNumberPositionChampionshipEFL CupFA CupOtherTotalYRYRYRYRYR John McGinn7MF140000000140 Conor Hourihane14MF6020001090 Alan Hutton21DF8000000080 Tyrone Mings40DF4100001051 Jonathan Kodjia26FW5010000060 Neil Taylor3DF4000101060 Anwar El Ghazi22FW4000001050 Glenn Whelan6MF5000000050 Jack Grealish10MF5000000050 Kortney Hause30DF5000000050 James Chester5DF2100000021 Albert Adomah37MF3000000030 Birkir Bjarnason20MF3000000030 Tammy Abraham18FW3000000030 Yannick Bolasie11MF3000000030 Henri Lansbury8MF1000100020 Ahmed Elmohamady27DF1000000010 Jake Doyle-Hayes34MF0010000010 Keinan Davis17ST1000000010 Lovre Kalinić28GK1000000010 Mile Jedinak15MF1000000010 Ritchie De Laet2DF0010000010 Tommy Elphick24DF0010000010 Tom Carroll11MF1000000010TOTAL802602040922 Given one Red Card, which was later rescinded.
Based on matches played until 28 May 2019
Top scorers +Top ScorersNo.Pos.Nat.PlayerChampionshipEFL CupFA CupOtherTotalGoalsAssistsGoalsAssistsGoalsAssistsGoalsAssistsGoalsAssists18FWTammy Abraham25300001026314MFConor Hourihane71110001091126FWJonathan Kodjia92010000937MFJohn McGinn690000107910MFJack Grealish660000016722FWAnwar El Ghazi56000010665DFJames Chester500000005037MFAlbert Adomah430000004327DFAhmed Elmohamady270000012811MFYannick Bolasie250000002521DFAlan Hutton210000002120MFBirkir Bjarnason200000002040DFTyrone Mings20000000206MFGlenn Whelan130000001319MFAndre Green110000001130DFKortney Hause100000001024DFTommy Elphick10000000103DFNeil Taylor03000000034DFAxel Tuanzebe0100000001TOTAL79561100428459 Based on matches played until 28 May 2019
References