Villa end the season with a tenth Premier League victory in thirty eight games under David O'Leary as the disliked manager and his Chairman would exit the Villa stage during the summer as a new chapter dawned.

James Milner, 20, makes his final appearance in a Villa shirt as his season long loan from Newcastle United comes to an end. Although earmarked as one of Martin O’Neill and Randy Lerner’s first signings, and with a contract agreed, shenanigans from the notoriously amateurish Newcastle board prevented the transfer and left the player and club bereft. Milner would of course return, but for now he would leave with a record of W13 D8 L12, 3 Goals, 9 Assists and 4 Bookings at a goal involvement rate of one every 2.75 games in a struggling Villa side.

Forward Kevin Phillips, 32, makes his final appearance in a Villa shirt after just one season with the club. Phillips had started well in claret in blue, contributing 5 goal involvements in his first 7 games and 9 in his first 15 but his final 12 produced just a single assist as the O’Leary effect clearly took his toll on the player’s form. Phillips would move on to West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £945,000 in August 2006 as new Villa boss Martin O’Neill deemed the veteran striker as surplus to requirements and he would leave with a record of W10 D6 L11, 5 Goals and 5 Assists.

Liam Ridgewell scores his 5th goal in a Villa shirt on his 68th appearance (53 Starts) to make it W23 D16 L29, 5 Goals, 1 Assist, 9 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Despite his protestations to the contrary and with his delusion still bubbling away this would indeed prove to be David O’Leary’s final game in charge of Villa. O’Leary would be removed from post as part of the deal that saw American Randy Lerner buy the club - a move that would also end Herbert Ellis’ long, oft debilitating control of the club. 

David O’Leary was not a popular appointment in 2003, by 2005 he was a pariah and by the end of his reign a figure of mirth. 

In truth O’Leary confounded the critics across a 6 month spell in 2003-04 and delivered a truly unexpected 6th placed finish, thereafter however Villa’s 10th and 16th placed finishes flattered their manager. However therein lay the paradox, O’Leary was often excellent in the transfer market, frequently unlucky with injuries and consistently blooding youth team talent. But O’Leary could demotivate any team that was in front of him and the kernel of a strong side was undermined by his rash comments, constant changes and willingness to dispose of talent far too early. 

Combined with a truly divisive personality and a dismissive attitude to the fans it was no surprise he got on well with his Chairman but equally no surprise that there was no warmth - or quarter given - to fall back on when things, as many had expected from the first day of his appointment, went wrong. 

Villa had, like any club, had underachieving managers before, and had appointed people out of their depth, unsuited or simply unlucky but never before had there been an individual subject to such a depth of dislike and distrust almost from day one. 

Did that stop O’Leary achieving his aims? Firstly, Villa had no aims during his reign, there was no plan and no goal, a managerial appointment in the image of the Chairman. 

Secondly, O’Leary had form, at Leeds as manager and at Arsenal as a player. This was not an appointment that would ever be a catalyst for harmony. 

Did Villa fans expect too much? Were they “sugarbags” after all? No, they just weren’t fooled by the man in the dugout and no-one else would be as O’Leary permanently disappeared from the management scene.