Steve Sidwell, come on down
Wednesday, 09 July 08, 01:19 PM · Comments (49)
It's the last minute at the Madejski Stadium and Aston Villa are trailing 1-0 to a strike from Reading's Steve Sidwell.
The former Arsenal trainee had opened the scoring with a near-post header from a Stephen Hunt corner, and, despite Villa managing to create a number of chances for new signings Ashley Young and John Carew, had generally dominated the midfield throughout. Indeed, he had had a fair shout for a second goal ruled out just after half-time for a foul on Thomas Sorensen.
Now, though, there was no stopping him. A feint to the side and a quick drag of the ball saw him past the Villa midfield and rapidly approaching the edge of the area. He glanced up, and exchanged a one-two with Dave Kitson that took the defence out of the equation before poking home.
Two goals for Sidwell, two goals for Reading, two miserable hours on the motorway for Aston Villa and their fans.
That brace made up two of 30 goals Sidwell scored in his 187 games for Reading, a strike-rate that justified the faith Alan Pardew had shown when he bought him from Arsenal for just under £100,000. "We are lacking goals from all areas this season, but particularly from midfield," Pardew had said. "Steven has come here to score those goals."
He had done so on loan at Brighton earlier in the season, scoring five in eleven games to add to the reputation he had been slowly building throughout loan spells at Brentford and Beveren and as the lynchpin in Arsenal's 2000 and 2001 FA Youth Cup triumphs.
Arsene Wenger was sorry to see him go. "I like Stevie," said the Frenchman later, "and when he left here I said, 'I'm really sorry but I am sure you will have a big career. You're not good enough yet to play for us but one day you might come back. You never know, we might buy you back'.
"Since then my prediction has slowly come true. Stevie is a guy who you knew when he left would have a big career because of the way he is available in games, his winning attitude, his engine and his finishing.
"He has the timing to get in the box and he always scored goals with the youth team."
Over the year that followed, Sidwell slotted effortlessly into the Royals' midfield, and was voted the best player outside the Premier League by the readers of Four Four Two Magazine the following year. He also found himself in the PFA's Championship Team of the Year - a position he kept the following season as Reading, now under Steve Coppell, cantered to promotion, and their first ever season in the top division.
Unfortunately for the Reading fans who sang his name that February afternoon, Sidwell had already made clear that he was likely to look for new pastures after four seasons with the Royals. Reading had turned down bids from Everton and Middlesbrough the previous summer, gambling that a final season from the midfielder was preferable to a transfer fee.
As he led his side close to Europe, finishing eighth in the league and missing out on the UEFA Cup by one point, it's fair to say the gamble paid off. Highlights included a 6-0 drubbing of West Ham on New Year's Day, five days after a draw with Chelsea allowed Manchester United to take the advantage at the top of the league; in total, Reading went on a ten-game unbeaten run.
That Reading were relegated the following season speaks volumes for Sidwell's ability, since he spent that year at Stamford Bridge rather than the Madejski Stadium. The midfielder refuted claims he was going there just to make up the numbers, and promised to try to grab any chance that came along with both hands. "If you do that you never know where that can take you," he insisted.
Villa fans might like to take it as a good omen that he made his Chelsea debut in a 3-2 win over Birmingham, who would be relegated along with Reading at the end of the season, and went on to play a further 24 times for the club; 12 starts, and 12 appearances from the bench. However, the departure of Jose Mourinho and the form of a midfield including such names as Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Mikel and Makelele restricted his chances.
Finally, with the arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari and Portugal's Deco, yet more competition in the centre of midfield, Sidwell agreed terms on a move to Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa, reportedly turning down Newcastle United.
Villa, then, get a box-to-box midfielder - a ginger Ian Taylor, as some fans have put it on message boards - who has shown them first hand the damage he can do to an opposition team. And he arrives with a point to prove, ready to resurrect that "big career" Arsene Wenger talked about.
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49 Comments · Add yours
Thanks for reminding us just how good this lad could be. Obviously I hope that MON casts his magic spells and we have a world beater on our hands. Eat yer heart out GB.
I am happy with sidwell, but it has got to be the first of many.
Come on Martin get your finger out and bring us the players that we have been waiting 2 years for. i.e. Bentley, Miguel, Ferdinand. Ect.
He's nothing to get excited about, might come good but so far in his career he has done sod all, hope we sign some better quality than him.
I am glad we have the Lad. Lets hope he still has some fire in his Belly for football & not just dining out on his transfers.
Hairy H obviously didn't get past the first paragraph before making that comment.
I hope this is not our star midfield signing of the summer or we are definately going to go backwards next season. Maybe I'll be proven wrong but I get the feeling that MON is short on ideas for new signings. If he rated Sidwell so much why wasn't he after him last season? Robinson, Ferdinand and Finnan are more players who have proven they can't quite do it anymore ( or in Ferdinands case never could ).
Is that a joke, nhuggy? We WERE after him by all reports...he chose Chelsea, unsurprisingly...
Come on the ginger warrior! First of many please Mr O'Neill!!
FINALLY!! I gonna update my FM2008/PES2008 with SIDWELL!! 8)
how can people say we need to sign 10 players.
first off all, every single person on this blog moans when we are linked with a player that isn't a superstar. so MON cant win really. if he buys 10 players you wont be happy because they wont be superstars and if we buy 2- 3 superstars you wont be happy because we havn't got enough players. we don't have the money or the reputation to buy 10 superstars.
and secondly when the f"!K has a team ever bought 10 players in the transfer window.
I feel well sorry for MON. he comes in when we were sh"t and nearly relegated, and two years down the line we are 6th and people slate him because he doesn't do a lot in the transfer market. this is the manager that bought ashley young, john carew and on the verge of sihning bentley. GIVE IT A REST.
Yes looks like its finnaly going to happen
David Bentley,Miguel,Robinson Next Please
To nhuggy
"MON is short on ideas for new signings. If he rated Sidwell so much why wasn't he after him last season?"
I think you'll find that MON tried to sign him in 2007 when he was a free agent at Reading but he chose to join Chelsea instead!
Instead of questioning MON why don't you get your facts right first!!!
Good article Adam.
I'm with you Villa Rules, Miguel sorts RB, Bentley sorts RMF, Robbo sorts GK and Sidders will sort Barry out!
yhyh Villa_Rules u gt da ryt idea m8. Bentley, Miguel n Robinson r perfect, ive sed them from the start! sfe geeza 8)
EZI NOW!!!! ME FINKS NRC WIL LUV CLARETBOY_BRAD INNIT. AIIII
Great piece Adam, I too had forgotten just what potential he has. IMO this is a quality signing and MON was after him previously. Hold on to your Acorns shirts boys this is where the transfer window realy starts.
The lack of Sidwells performances in a chelsea shirt is the main reason we bought him for the price we did, if he did play on a regular basis he would of shown he is worth alot more. A fantastic bit of business on the messiah's part and to turn down newcastle in the process has shown just how far we've come. ;D
Sam_Villa, you are sooo right. 10 average players = MON slated. 2 superstars = MON slated. But do you know what, I think MON will sign about 7 or more including two [i]very[/i] good 'uns.
Theprimeminister, can you translate into Engrish pliz.
Take a boo son.
[b]@ andy5759[/b]
Hey there! I think that Nigel Reo-Coker will get on pretty well with Claretboy_Brad. Do you Agree?
I see Newcastle are the only team to have made an offer for Seb Larsson. Why the heck aren't we involved in this race?
One would be eternally grateful if the learned fellows entrusted with the long term pursuit of excellence at one's favoured association football team would endeavor to entice several more able bodied chaps to join us.
I agree vivavilla. Seb Larsson is going to shine next year.
This is a good signing. If he had chosen us over Chelsea last season we would have been delighted. We would have also been delighted last season if we would have had to sign him for considerably more than 5m. All in all a great bit of business.
I normally wouldn't subscribe to the theory that one player leaving a team (Reading) was the primary reason for them being relegated the following season but with Sidwell I don't think this is a million miles away from the truth.
He has a bit of a point to prove to Chelsea now too, so this could turn out to be a really great signing (even better than Young).
To those of you who still find reasons to gripe and groan, I really am sorry that your outlook is one of perpetual doom. Keep it up, one day you will be right - even a broken clock is right twice a day!! - Cuckoo!!
Great article thanks. Very informative and well researched - a fine way to welcome a player to our club. Sam Villa - couldn't agree more.
Sam_villa 1, i think you said it all there mate. As a true villan i aggree, just dont understand all these moaning supposed villa fans.
Sidwell can prove to be better then barry! now onto bentley, green, finnan and miguel...... Champo league here we come!!!!
@Sam_villa
You say when the f@ck has a team signed 10 players. well not often but then how often has a team with the smallest squad by far in the premiership then let 5 players go with there captain about to leave as well.
If we sign 10 players we would still have one of the 4 or 5 smallest squads so i would expect Oneil to sign 10!! I would expect this based on comments he has made saying we significantly were short on numbers last season and coudnt of coped with other teams injuries. With 6 players leaving and 2 long term injured i can only assume from this statement he intends to sign 10 players.
I dont expect a whole host of superstars at all but i dod expect the numbers in so that we have sufficient back up to cope with the demands of a premiership season, uefa cup run etc. Last seasons squad barely coped - a few more injuries and we would have been in freefall so with more games yes we need 10 players!!
I dont think he will sign 10 however - i think maybe another 5 will come in - if Bentley and Miguel are 2 of those i will be pretty happy, but If we get the excuse at any point in the season of need to strengthen, or being short on numbers i wont accept it!!
Great article Adam :)
And now for Miguel..
Great article, it highlights what I have said a few times- Sidwell tore us apart when we played Reading, he was David Platt on speed, everywhere, a really great performance, a performance that alone should of merited an England call up.
Was GB playing that day?should he of been tracking him. There was only one midfielder that shone that day and it was not GB, let's hope he does the same when we play the Scousers
Great signing, let's hope this is the start of some real quality.
Bentley, Finnan, Miguel, Robinson and MON's leadership I do really believe with our existing players will see us really compete against the big boys and knock over the Wigans of this world where we sometimes stumble and falter.
Keep em coming
Crystal Ball - 8 months
News today that Steve Sidwell has been included in the England Squad for the upcoming international against Italy at the expense of former Villan Gareth Barry
Fabio Capello cited Sidwells strong performances in the Villa side, including his forward threat and hard running as going a long way towards his decision.
The midfield maestro has blossomed under the stewardship of Martin O'Neill, not unlike Barry did some 2 years earlier.
Barry's inability to hold down a regular starting role in the Liverpool side due to Benitez' rotation policy was a major contributor to Capello's decision.
Given Villa's startling form and march towards a Champions League place, Barry must now be considering just what he has got himself into, especially if reports of Steven Gerrards move to Chelsea bear fruit as the Liverpool owners work frantically to free up funds.
Good article Damian..Thanks for the reminder on the ability of our new player!
Whoops!!....Adam!!! ;)
Well said, Sam_Villa...God, it's a wonder MON wants to have anything to do with the Villa for all the unwarranted crap he gets. "Ooh, it's January, and he's signed no one." Finishes 6th. "Ooh, but now I know better.." and so on, ad infinitum.
Over on Villa Talk, I've been reading Krulak's comments, and he's right. "We hired MON, RL's never said no, the board have no business being involved, and MON has our full faith and confidence, knows the game, who he wants, and what he wants to do."
Christ. Jesus himself could give you a loaf and a barrel of wine, raise the dead, walk on water, and half the Villa fans would be saying, "But a real messiah would have brought along Pele, Ronaldo, Eusebio, 300 whores, new Bentleys, and automatic CL qualification for life!"
Sam, I don't agree with you on the numbers coming in issue. Our squad is waffer thin at best. Ok if you look at the players who will start - Laursen, Davis (when fit), Bouma, Young, Gabby, Carew and NRC - None of the others are starters. So at the moment 6 players with Davies out. So for a start your needing 4 / 5 starters. Then for every position you must have 1 player cover so you are going to talk about 8 / 10 players. The other players in the squad Gardner, Osbourne, Knight, Petrov, Shaun M, Marlon are only squad players.
Lets work it out 2x Goalkeepers, 2x Rightbacks, 1x Centre Back, 1x Left Back, 1x Work Horse Midfield (Sidwell), 1x Right Midfield (Bentley?) 1x 20 goal Stiker - So that's 9 players for a start.
I'm looking forward to the new batch of youth players coming up into squad - But you might find one who will make grade straight away. At best a number will go out on loan.
With a possible European campaign coming up you need a big squad full stop. Villa looked very tired in the last month of the season as most players played 30x each. Well add on European matches, a league cup run better than the joke last year - So at least more than one match ... As long as we avoid Man Uts in the 3rd Round FA Cup another few games!
I'm sure MON knows his business. Yes he faces some flack on these sites. But Villa fans have been promised time and time again players coming in and things haven't happened. I don't think fans will except anything other than investment. We've got the right man in charge of the club and the players - So let move onto the next step. We were very lucky last year with players staying fit but you can't keep playing that lucky with few numbers in the squad. Even when we had players sent off the few times we did we struggled to cover them with quality.
Anyway, I'm over the moon with Sidwell - My son lives and watches Reading. When he was there in the season they went up he was the best player in the championship by a MILE ... 1ST Season in the Premiership - he held Reading together and was fantastic. When he left to go to Chelsea (who were Champions) Reading fell apart - One player left being Sidwell and a team fell apart - I want players like that! Good business MON
To our new Ginger Ian Taylor! I really think he'll give our midfield an edge!!!
Raise your glass (or cup of coffee if its early) to the start of what will be a superb season!
I still think we need to aim higher on the GK front! If we had him, i'd back him obviously (because the messiah knows best) but i'd no fingers left at the end of the season! He just makes me feel nervous!
Bought the mirror yesterday (only for the Carew interview, piece of crap paper) and is it me or is Carew a bit ginger as well?
This signing is definitely a big boost for Villa. I'm not sure what the contract details are but either he is taking a pay cut from £60,000 a week he earned at Chelsea, showing that we are paying more and more, allowing us to attract bigger names and improve the club. Or Sidwell is taking a pay-cut, which shows his drive to play football at our club, and such and action before playing can only bode well for the rest of his AVFC career.
great news,great signing!was gutted not to get him last year.
i hope this is the start of a busy next few weeks in the market!
im hoping for.....
robinson/guzan/or both!
ferdinand/miguel/hoyte/chimbonda/finnan (two of these)
bentley/milner/SWP or lennon or two of either!!!!
diego/senna (one of these would be amazing!)
bent/pavluychenko/podolski (one of these)
....any sort of montage of these lot would be amazing and i feel that most of them are realistic and all of them are links (i do know that alot of links are bol@cks tho)...
im looking forward to next saturday watchin the boys in competitive action!!!!!!
great signing. seen him play for chelsea and reading and rarely puts a foot wrong. perfect man to replace GB.brings the same attributes, box to box, goals and assists. but like you all say, need some more signings now. would like atleast another 4 players. Goalie, right back, Winger, and a forward. (Hopefully Robinson, finnan, bentley and doyle)
Yeah nhuggy you idiot!
If anyone believes that Seb Larsson is better than Bentley or Milner they need to take a look at themselves. No seriously do it! Sidwell is an exellent 1st signing and more to come soon. Believe in MON but remember he's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy! ;)
I'm of the belief that Sidwell is probably as good a player as Barry, and younger. Fantastic business. Bentley next please.
just a quick slant on things lads? do you think that MON is delaying the Barry transfer because he wants to show Barry the players we have added before he goes to Pool? i men you can imagine Barry sitting there thinking my god look at the players he has brought in and im leaving??? "whatever was i thinking"
Please, no-one expect 10 sigings. You will be very disappointed.
if we only signed sidwell, bentley, miguel/finnan an robbo, i wud be pretty pleased. there is alot more work to do, so lets not get carried away.
Vivavilla, I cant agree that we wont sign 10 players. Minimum we need is 1 goalkeeper, 2 right backs, 1 centre half, 1 right winger, 1 forward and a replacement for if/when Liverpool raise enough money to buy Barry. So that's another 7 plus Davies and Sidwell already signed. MON could be tempted to sign younger players who he thinks could come good in a few years time. So 10 signings not as unbelievable as first thought.
Any news on what number Sidders will wear?
stop moaning, O'neill knows exactly what he's doing!....Davies, Sidwell, Carew and Young are absolute quality players! And we're not finished...Miguel, finnan and bentley next please!!!!!