Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor hopes Villa fans will look back on his time at the club with fond memories, as he prepares to depart the club at the end of the season.
The 31-year old striker has been with Villa for his entire career, but is due to leave Villa Park next month, having been with the club’s first-team for 13 seasons.
While Agbonlahor admits that the last few years have been frustrating, having suffered through a series of injuries and having been frozen out by Steve Bruce’s predecessor Roberto di Matteo, he feels his early years should cement his legacy. Talking to the club’s YouTube channel, as reported by Birmingham Live, he said;
I’ll look back as the lad from Erdington who came through the youth team and had a dream of playing for Aston Villa.
I’ll look back and think I made a lot of mistakes which normal people and everyone does – but I fulfilled a dream and I’ve left with records.
I think Aston Villa is one of the greatest clubs in English football, the history the club’s got, look at the fans we get, it’s a Premier League club, you know.
Agbonlahor also admitted that he still gets a warm glow when he hears fans chant his name, thanking them for the support they have shown him over the years. He continued;
Even when I hear it now I hear it everywhere I go and it still sends tingles down my spine.
I think I owe a lot to the fans. They’ve stuck by me through my whole career. They’ve been that 12th man for Aston Villa over the time that I’ve been here.
They’ve meant a lot to me as well and hopefully they’ll think back to the good memories that I’ve given them.
While Agbonlahor has slipped down the pecking order this season, Aston Villa have revealed that a planned pre-match presentation to celebrate his time at the club will occur this Saturday when the Villans host Derby County.
