Nottingham Forest welcome Aston Villa to the Championship on Wednesday night with Martin O’Neill hoping to beat his former club at the City Ground.
Martin O’Neill believes that there is one thing that both Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa have in common – they are both too big for the Championship.
The veteran gaffer was speaking to the Birmingham Mail ahead of Wednesday night’s league fixture between Forest and his former employers. Aston Villa travel to the City Ground hoping to force their way back into play-off contention after a narrow win against local rivals Birmingham City on Sunday.
O’Neill returned to Nottingham Forest in January, having won the European Cup twice with the club during a stellar playing career. He knows Villa well too. The 66-year-old spent four years in charge at Villa Park between 2006 and 2010, very nearly guiding the club into the Champions League for the first time.
And O’Neill believes that both clubs can be viewed as giants of the English game who have simply fallen on hard times in recent years.
“I really enjoyed my time there, (Aston Villa) is a fantastic football club. It is a giant club and it should not be in the division it is in at the moment,” said the former Republic of Ireland boss.
“You can say the same about us; about Nottingham Forest. We are exactly the same.
“We have spent 20 years outside of the top flight, when history alone would suggest that we should not be here. We are trying to do something about that and Villa are trying to do the same.”
Fans and neutrals alike will be hopeful of a repeat of November’s staggering, 10-goal clash between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the second city.
The game finished 5-5 with Joe Lolley, who set up four goals and scored a long-range wondergoal himself, starring against his boyhood club.
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