---
title: "Gary Cahill reflects on time at Villa"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2018/11/28/gary-cahill-reflects-on-time-at-villa/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Rebecca Hawksworth"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2018-11-28T13:28:35Z"
modified: "2018-11-28T13:28:35Z"
---

# Gary Cahill reflects on time at Villa

Gary Cahill has praised Aston Villa, with rumours about a potential January transfer to the Midlands club circulating, the [Birmingham Mail](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chelseas-gary-cahill-spoken-joining-15476683) reports.

Cahill joined Villa’s academy as a 15-year-old.

The defender who has two Premier League medals and a Champions League winners medal to his name, has praised the academy from which he rose up.

> I got a lot of enjoyment from school football and then progressed to a team called AFC Dronfield. I played for the year above me, as that’s the team all my friends played in, and I was there for a number of years.

> Playing near to where I lived, and at grassroots level, was great fun. I was around 13 when I was scouted by a few teams and I went into the set-up from there.

> I was living near Sheffield, and Sheffield Wednesday offered me a contract, so did Derby, but I ended up going to Aston Villa.

> It made no sense in terms of where it was but there was something about the club and I had a good feeling about it.

> The facilities and the coaching were fantastic. My mum and dad felt the same as I did so we made that decision.

Cahill, now 31, made his senior debut for the club in 2005 before going on to make a further 30 appearances in claret and blue before sealing a move to Bolton Wanderers in January 2008.

> There are numerous coaches who have helped me along the way.

> But when I went to Villa there was Gordon Cowans, who a lot of people are aware of, Tony McAndrew and Kevin MacDonald.

> Those three looked after me from 16 up until the reserves and were a big influence on the way I saw football.

> It wasn’t always rosy; they were strict and quite hard on us, but you appreciate that more the older you get. It was just what they demanded through work and the sessions.

> They wanted us to play in the right way, at a fast tempo, and we had a lot of success.

> Over a period of three or four years the amount of players they produced was frightening: Peter Whittingham, Jamie Ward, Liam Ridgewell, Steven Davis, Gabby Agbonlahor, Craig Gardner, there were loads who came through.

> That’s down to the recruitment and the coaching we had which was phenomenal.

Cahill is expected to leave Stamford Bridge once the window re-opens in January after falling down the pecking order under new boss Maurizio Sarri.