The story so far: We’ve got Super John McGinn..

Jack Grealish once stated that John McGinn was one of the best players he had ever played with. The man who cost Aston Villa just £2.75 million in August 2018 put pen to paper on a new four-year deal this week that could take the Scotland international to 32 years old and a potential nine-year relationship at Villa Park.

There have been plenty of highs since McGinn arrived in B6 but there have been some lows that the midfielder states have made him a better person and player. We take a look at his five-year stay with the club. So far.

“I didn’t have a clue who he was,”

When signed most people including a certain Mr Grealish had never heard of the former Hibernian midfielder. Steve Bruce pulled a gem out of the bag, beating Celtic to his signature.

“Steve Bruce pulled me aside one day and said, ‘We’ve got a good player coming in – John McGinn.’ He has been a breath of fresh air. He is one of the best I have ever played with – and I’ve played with some decent players.” – Grealish stated back in 2019 after one season with McGinn.

I will never forget a tweet at the time by a Hibernian fan telling Villa fans just how lucky we were to have captured the midfielder and to look after him.

@HibsOfficial @astonvilla
Look after our super John… model pro. Scottish Cup winning legend. Good guy. Best of luck to you! You’ll be missed…! #hibs #McGinn pic.twitter.com/855HTMEbOw

— Tom B (@tambucktoo) August 8, 2018

It didn’t take him long to capture the hearts of the Villa faithful with an assist on his debut in a 3-2 victory over Wigan Atheltic in the Championship. A month later he scored his first goal in a Villa shirt. THAT GOAL. Against Sheffield Wednesday at Villa Park. My writing could never do it any justice so here it is:

No real surprise for anyone there that day but that goal was voted goal of the season at the end of the Championship campaign.

Although McGinn was becoming a fan favourite with his consistent hard-working performances, his teammates weren’t as consistent and the manager that signed him, Steve Bruce was relieved of his duties and replaced by Dean Smith in October.

McGinn went on to score 7 goals in his first campaign in Claret and Blue and scored the winning goal in the playoff final against Derby County that helped Villa return to the Premier League. No real surprise but he was also voted Players’ and Supporters’ Player of the Season.

I have loved every minute of my time at Aston Villa

In August 2019, McGinn signed a new five-year contract at Villa stating “I have loved every minute of my time at Aston Villa and I am delighted to commit myself to the Club for the long term.”

He continued his good form in the Premier League scoring in the opening game of the season in a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Just before Christmas that year, he suffered a fractured ankle which was going to rule him out for three months, at least. And then, something happened that nobody expected to happen. Covid-19.

Football returned on June 17th following the pandemic and McGinn played all of Villa’s remaining games helping them to Premier League survival against the odds on the final day of the season.

Easy Choice

The following season, the Scotland international once again signed a new five-year deal taking him up to 2025.

“It was an easy choice really, I have got a good relationship with everyone here,” he told Villa TV. “We have been talking for a while now, it was pretty simple, it was an easy conversation.

“It was parked with the amount of games, the international games, there were important things to focus on.

“With the Newcastle game being cancelled it was the perfect time to get it sorted and I am over the moon.

McGinn went on to pay tribute to his then captain and manager: “I am still loving it and enjoying it. Jack (Grealish) is a massive Villa fan, the gaffer (Dean Smith) is a massive Villa fan, I am fully aware of what it means to play for the club.

“I have got a great relationship with the gaffer, I have a lot of respect for him. He is a brilliant coach but more than that he’s a great guy. He’s a big reason why it was a no-brainer to stay.”

That season he went on to score three goals in thirty-seven appearances with Villa with Villa finishing a respectable 11th.

Captain John

That summer John’s best mate at the club Grealish departed the club for moneybags Citeh and Villa struggled to repeat their form from the previous season.

Smith was sacked and in come new manager Steven Gerrard. The former Liverpool favourite made McGinn his captain, taking the armband away from Tyrone Mings.

The midfielder’s form dropped with some questioning his ability to still perform at the Premier League standard. He wasn’t alone though, Villa were struggling on the pitch still under their new manager. Despite avoiding relegation in the 2021-22 season, Villa struggled under Gerrard and he was soon dismissed following an abysmal performance and 3-0 defeat away to Fulham.

Enter Unai Emery

In October 2022, Unai Emery was named the new Villa boss and he stuck with McGinn and the players he had at his disposal and vowed to get the best out of them.

After briefly dropping McGinn he soon returned to the first team and became an integral part of Emery’s side that eventually went on to qualify for the Uefa Conference League and a 7th placed finish in the Premier League.

McGinn isn’t just a fan favourite at Villa Park but he is a firm favourite in Scotland where he has scored 16 goals in 56 games to date.

Now in his prime, he has committed his future to Aston Villa once again and guess what? We’ve got McGinn, I just don’t think you understand…