S
ki
pp
er21
S
ki
pp
erT
he 49-year-old was appointed manager of Villa, the
club he supported as a boy, on 10 October 2018.
After a playing career that took in Port Vale, Walsall, LeytonOrient and Hereford United, he turned to coaching in 2005,
starting out as a youth coach at Leyton Orient where he was
swiftly promoted to assistant-manager.
Dean returned to Walsall as head of youth before being
appointed caretaker-manager and then permanent boss in
January 2011. Four years later he led the Saddlers to their
first-ever Wembley appearance, the final of the Football
League Trophy. He then guided Brentford to a ninth-
place finish in the 2015/16 season before moving to Villa
last season, leading them back into the Premier League
in his first season at the helm as they defeated Derby
County 2-1 in the play-off final at Wembley.
This season he took Villa on another Wembley trip as
they reached the Carabao Cup final, losing narrowly to
holders Manchester City.O
PP
O
SI
TI
MANAGER: DEAN SMITH ON
NEIL TAYLOR
The Welsh international left-back
represented Great Britain at the 2012
Olympics. He is set to start today after coming
on as an early replacement for hamstring-
injury victim Matt Targett last time out against
Wolverhampton Wanderers.BACKS TO THE WALL
Villa find themselves in a relegation
dogfight heading into the final half-
dozen games. With Norwich City
set for an immediate return to the
Championship it looks like two from
four clubs to join them. Bournemouth,
West Ham and Watford are also
bidding to pick up points in the final
month of the campaign to ensure
that they are playing Premier League
football again next season.21