The Rise and Rise of Aston Villa and John McGinn

The Rise and Rise of Aston Villa and John McGinn

If you were scripting a Hollywood underdog story, Aston Villa’s journey since 2018 would be an absolute blockbuster. The club was on its knees-bruised, battered, and staring into the financial abyss after losing the Championship Playoff Final to Fulham. Promotion had been gambled upon, and the bet had spectacularly backfired. Within weeks, HMRC was breathing down Villa’s neck with a winding-up order, and the future of the club hung in the balance.

Enter Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris. The billionaire duo swooped in during the summer, investing in 55% of the club (before later taking full control) and bringing a sense of stability back to Villa Park. Steve Bruce remained in charge, tasked with leading the charge for another shot at promotion. The club still needed reinforcements, though, and one of the most important signings in its modern history was about to arrive.

The John McGinn Effect

Villa were battling Celtic for Hibernian’s tenacious midfielder John McGinn. Money was tight, but Villa scraped together the funds to bring him to Birmingham. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact. While the team started the season sluggishly, McGinn was a bright spark. His stunning volley against Sheffield Wednesday-a goal that still looks as good today as it did then-offered a glimpse of what was to come.

Despite McGinn’s efforts, Villa found themselves floundering in mid-table. With promotion looking like a distant dream, the owners made the call to part ways with Bruce. Say what you like about Bruce’s football, but he had steadied a club that was at risk of plummeting into League One. His departure paved the way for a new era.

Dean Smith and the Road to the Premier League

If Villa were going to rebuild, who better to lead them than a lifelong fan? Dean Smith arrived from Brentford, and the transformation was almost immediate. The football was slick, the results improved, and momentum was building. Then, something special happened: a 10-game winning streak. It propelled Villa into the playoffs, and McGinn was at the heart of it all.

His defining moment? March 2019, away at Nottingham Forest. Villa fell behind early, but McGinn wasn’t having it. He took control, scored twice, and dragged the team to a 3-1 victory. That summed up his influence perfectly-relentless energy, big performances in big moments.

And so, Villa arrived at Wembley once again. This time, they wouldn’t falter. A 2-1 win over Derby secured their return to the Premier League, and McGinn had scored the decisive second goal.

Premier League Life: Survival, Settling, and a Statement Victory

The biggest question: Could McGinn handle the Premier League? Answer: Absolutely. The first season was a slog, with a flurry of new signings trying to bed in. It came down to the final four games, where Villa somehow clawed their way to safety. There was even a fortunate goal-line decision along the way (if you know, you know).

The following season, Villa were a different beast. Settled, more confident, and with McGinn still pulling the strings in midfield, they cemented their place as a mid-table side. The campaign included that extraordinary 7-2 demolition of Liverpool, in which McGinn chipped in with a goal. Villa were back on the map.

Managerial Change and the Unai Emery Effect

The 2021/22 season saw Villa stall, and Dean Smith-despite his immense contributions-was replaced. Enter Steven Gerrard. On paper, it looked an exciting appointment. In reality, it was a disaster. The football was uninspiring, results nosedived, and Villa found themselves back in a relegation scrap.

The owners acted quickly, and in November 2022, Unai Emery arrived. Villa were 14th at the time, just three points above the relegation zone. His first game? A 3-1 win over Manchester United-their first home league victory against United since 1995. McGinn was pivotal, setting the tone for what was to come.

Under Emery, Villa won 15 of their remaining league games to finish 7th and secure European football for the first time in over a decade. McGinn, now club captain, was at the heart of everything.

Breaking More Ceilings

The 2023/24 season saw Villa go one step further-finishing 4th and qualifying for the Champions League. Simultaneously, they reached the Conference League semi-finals, proving they could juggle multiple competitions. Once again, McGinn was irreplaceable.

Champions League Nights, Heartbreak and History

When this piece was first written in April 2025, Aston Villa were preparing for a Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain. They were underdogs. But then again, Aston Villa have spent the best part of eight years proving people wrong.

Over two unforgettable nights they pushed the eventual European champions all the way.

In Paris it was John McGinn who won possession from Nuno Mendes with typical determination before launching the counter attack that led to Villa’s opening goal. It was classic McGinn. Relentless pressing, winning a duel nobody expected him to win and suddenly Villa believed.

The second leg at Villa Park somehow became even more memorable.

Two goals down on the night and seemingly dead and buried, McGinn grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. His thunderous strike ignited Villa Park and sparked one of the greatest European nights the stadium has witnessed in decades. Villa won 3-2 on the night, becoming one of only a handful of teams to beat PSG all season.

Ultimately they fell just short, losing 5-4 on aggregate, but nobody left Villa Park feeling defeated. Villa had announced themselves among Europe’s elite.

The disappointment continued into the Premier League where Champions League qualification slipped away on the cruellest of margins. Goal difference. A season that would have been celebrated almost anywhere else somehow ended with a feeling that there was still more to come.

There was.

The Rise Continues

The summer of 2025 was hardly the one supporters imagined.

Financial restrictions meant several key players departed while very few arrived. Pundits questioned whether Villa had reached their ceiling. Had Unai Emery worked his magic? Had John McGinn finally reached the point where the climb stopped?

Five league games into the season those questions seemed justified.

No wins.

Very few goals.

Very little confidence.

Then, as he has done so many times throughout this story, John McGinn stepped forward.

A scruffy but priceless winner away at Bologna finally got Villa moving in Europe. Days later he captained Villa to their first Premier League victory of the campaign, scoring the decisive goal against Fulham.

From that moment something clicked.

Villa embarked on a remarkable winning run that equalled a club record that had stood for well over a century. A squad many believed had weakened somehow became stronger. Emery evolved the system once again and McGinn was, unsurprisingly, right in the middle of it all.

By May, Aston Villa had done what once felt impossible.

A top five Premier League finish.

Champions League qualification once again.

And then, finally, silverware.

Villa lifted the Europa League trophy, ending decades of waiting and giving a generation of supporters their first taste of seeing Aston Villa crowned champions on the European stage. It was another landmark in one of the greatest rebuilds English football has seen.

And who lifted that trophy as captain?

John McGinn.

As if that wasn’t enough, his summer still had another chapter to write.

The McGinn Legacy

Most players peak.

John McGinn seems to simply find another gear.

After captaining Aston Villa back into the Champions League and leading them to European glory, he turned his attention to Scotland.

He captained his country to the 2026 World Cup and then wrote another page of Scottish football history.

Scotland had waited since 1998 for a victory at the World Cup.

McGinn ended the wait.

His winning goal secured Scotland’s first World Cup victory in 28 years. It was fitting that it was him. The boy Villa signed from Hibernian while trying to avoid financial collapse had become the captain of a Europa League winning side and the man who gave an entire nation one of its greatest modern football memories.

His career has mirrored Aston Villa’s rise perfectly.

Championship midfielder.

Premier League midfielder.

European midfielder.

Champions League captain.

Europa League winner.

Scotland captain.

World Cup goalscorer.

Every time the standard has risen, John McGinn has risen with it.

And then there is the famous McGinn backside.

I remember wondering whether it would work in the Championship.

It did.

Surely Premier League defenders would figure it out?

They didn’t.

European sides?

No chance.

Juventus couldn’t stop it. Bayern Munich couldn’t stop it. PSG couldn’t stop it. Somewhere, defenders across Europe are probably already watching clips of it, knowing exactly what’s coming and still having absolutely no idea how to prevent it.

Football has a habit of rewarding talent.

Occasionally it rewards perseverance.

John McGinn represents both.

If you were picking the defining player of Aston Villa’s modern revival, the player who has climbed every mountain with the club from financial uncertainty to European champions, there really is only one choice.

Some footballers arrive for a chapter.

John McGinn has become the story.

And after everything we’ve witnessed over the last eight years, there is only one question left.

Would you bet against Aston Villa?

Or, as Ron Saunders famously put it…

“Do you want to bet against us?”