Villa close out a strong season under Martin O'Neill with a draw at Upton Park and a sixth placed finish in the Premier League. Meanwhile Villa great Olof Mellberg makes his final appearance for the club in an emotional farewell.

Villa finish a largely excellent season in 6th place with an early start to 2008-09 promised in the Intertoto. 

The progress made under Martin O'Neill had been huge and the on-field performances were at times unlike anything produced by Villa since Brian Little's 90's team. 

All good things have to come to an end however and Villa faced the next campaign knowing they would no longer have one of their greats in the side.

Villa’s legendary centre back Olof Mellberg, 30, makes his 263rd and final appearance in a Villa shirt (262 Starts) before moving on to Juventus in July 2008 on a free transfer. Few players have ever ‘got’ Villa and their fans in the way Mellberg did, a leader on and off the pitch who left the club too early but the club did not leave him. Mellberg would leave with a record of W90 D78 L95, 8 Goals, 7 Assists, 34 Bookings and 1 Red Card across his 7 seasons with the club. Had Mellberg had better managers and a more stable club between Gregory and O’Neill the sky would have been the limit for one of the great Villa captains.

Goalkeeper Scott Carson, 22, makes his 36th and final appearance in a Villa shirt before returning to parent club Liverpool at the end of this season long loan. Carson would leave with a record of W16 D10 L10, 3 Assists, 47 Goals Conceded at a rate of 1.31 goals per game, 9 Clean Sheets (25%), 1 Booking and 1 Red Card. Carson had kept 7 clean sheets in his first 11 games for the club.

Nigel Reo-Coker contributes his 5th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 39th appearance to make it W17 D11 L11, 1 Goal, 4 Assists, 11 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Marlon Harewood makes his 25th appearance in a Villa shirt (3 Starts) to make it W10 D8 L7, 6 Goals, 1 Assist and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

Meanwhile off the pitch Martin O'Neill has informed Patrik Berger that he will no longer "be part of proceedings" and would not have his contract renewed after his comments to the media.