Aston Villa are heading to the playoffs for the second season in a row.
Hilary Smith has praised the Aston Villa fans for the manner in which they have supported her son Dean Smith this season.
The boyhood Villa fan was appointed manager of the Midlands outfit in October when he replaced the sacked Steve Bruce in the dugout.
Speaking to Birmingham TV, Hilary sent this brilliant message to the Villa fans as she explained how proud she is of her son.
On her son being Villa manager: “So proud,” Hilary Smith told Birmingham TV. “Fantastic, it’s something he’s always wanted to do and his dad would be so proud. His dad has got dementia and he doesn’t know [he’s Villa manager].
“I didn’t know anything about football until I met my husband in 1964 and we followed them [Villa] everywhere. So, for our family, it’s absolutely fantastic.
On Villa fans: “Thank you for supporting my son. You are absolutely brilliant. You are singing all the way through at the away matches and at home. God bless you all. I hope you get there.”
Villa runs deep in Dean Smith’s family, with his father and grandfather supporting the 1982 European Champions. Added with that, he also told the Times recently that his dad doesn’t know he is Villa manager because of his dementia.
At this moment in time, the dream for Smith is on because he is still on course to help Villa earn promotion to the Premier League.
On Sunday, they recorded a 1-1 draw at Leeds United which confirmed that they have finished fifth in the Championship for the 2018/19 campaign.
It means the Midlands outfit will have to go through the dreaded playoffs once again if they are to make a return to England’s top flight.
If that were to happen then it would be a sensational story for the club, only matched by Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, who helped his own boyhood club earn promotion to the Premier League over the weekend.
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