After a terrible two seasons and with Paul Lambert still in charge Villa surprise with an opening day win at the Britannia.

Alan Hutton plays in a Villa shirt for the first time since Sunday, 6 May 2012 having been excluded from selection by Paul Lambert for the previous 27 months and 88 games.

Other previously banished players Darren Bent (last played Sunday, 19 May 2013) and Shay Given (25 January 2013) make the bench. 

Winger Charles N’Zogbia plays his first game since Monday, 22 April 2013 after missing the entire 2013-14 season through injury to make it 61 Appearances (42 Starts), W19 D20 L22, 5 Goals, 9 Assists and 8 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Although the return of talent was to be celebrated, the confused and contradictory transfer policy of recent seasons took another turn with a series of debutants few would ever have predicted as being targets, let alone first team players for the club.

Centre back Philippe Senderos makes his Villa debut aged 29 after joining on a free transfer from Valencia CF in July 2014 to become the 867th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

In another transfer that dumbfounded the fan base, left back Kieran Richardson makes his Villa debut aged 29 after joining from Fulham for £675,000 in July 2014 to become the 868th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Right back Aly Cissokho makes his Villa debut aged 26 after joining from Valencia CF for £2,250,000 earlier this month to become the 869th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Villa make it two unbeaten at the start of the campaign but are held to a goalless home draw by Newcastle.

Midfielder Carlos Sánchez, 28, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from Elche CF for a fee of £5,400,000 earlier this month to become the 870th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Darren Bent makes his first appearance in a Villa shirt since 19 May 2013 following the inexplicable decision from Paul Lambert to exclude the player from selection for the entirety of the 2013-14 season for no apparent reason. This was then Bent’s 64th appearance (51 Starts) and had now been substitute in 12 of his last 18 games, starting just three League games, having only been a sub once in his first 46. Bent's record now stood at W24 D19 L21, 25 Goals, 3 Assists and 2 Bookings having scored 6 times in 23 games under Lambert - with 3 of those goals coming against lower league cup opposition - compared to 19 in 40 under his predecessors (1 Cup Goal against Premier League opposition). 

Nathan Baker makes his 75th appearance in a Villa shirt (70 Starts) to make it W23 D15 L37, 10 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Brad Guzan keeps his 25th clean sheet in a Villa shirt on his 107th appearance (105 Starts) to make it W37 D24 L46, 1 Assist, 161 Goals Conceded, 25 Clean Sheets, 1.61 Goals per League Game and 5 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa revert to type under Paul Lambert and deliver a woeful display to be knocked out of the League Cup by League One side Orient.

Joe Cole, 32, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from West Ham United on a free transfer in July 2014 to become the 871st player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Shay Given makes his first appearance in a Villa shirt since 25 January 2013 having been ostracised by Paul Lambert for the last 59 games. Given's return to the side left him with 44 Appearances since signing under Alex McLeish 3 years previously and W10 D16 L18, 67 Goals Conceded, 8 Clean Sheets and 1 Booking so far in his Villa career.

18 year old Midfielder Jack Grealish makes his first start for Villa after his debut substitute appearance in May 2014.

Andreas Weimann suffers his 40th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 97th appearance (71 Starts) to make it W32 D25 L40, 21 Goals, 7 Assists and 7 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Just 17,000 watch Paul Lambert's Villa lose to League One Orient.

Villa make it three Premier League games unbeaten at the start of the campaign  as they win for the second time with victory over Hull.

Kieran Richardson contributes his 1st assist in a Villa shirt on his 4th appearance to make it W2 D1 L1 and 1 Assist so far in his Villa career.

Villa travel to Anfield and come away with a third victory in four unbeaten Premier League games as Paul Lambert continues to surprise in 2014.

Villa have collected ten points from their opening four league games for the first time since 1998-99 under John Gregory to rise to second place in the early Premier League table. 

Midfielder Tom Cleverley makes his Villa debut aged 25 after joining on a season long loan from Manchester United to become the 872nd player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Gabriel Agbonlahor scores his 80th goal in a Villa shirt on his 321st appearance (291 Starts) to make it W118 D95 L108, 80 Goals, 41 Assists and 38 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa's unbeaten run comes crashing down as they are well beaten by Arsenal at Villa Park.

Paul Lambert’s Villa lose their first Premier League game of the season and fall back to third in the early table as a result. 

Andreas Weimann makes his 100th appearance in a Villa shirt (74 Starts) to make it W34 D25 L41, 22 Goals, 8 Assists and 7 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Ciaran Clark collects his 30th booking in a Villa shirt on his 109th appearance (98 Starts) to make it W34 D27 L48, 7 Goals, 3 Assists and 30 Bookings so far in his Villa career. Clark has now picked up a booking every 3.63 games he has played.

Jack Grealish makes his 5th appearance for Villa (1 Start) to make it W2 D0 L3 so far in his Villa career.

Meanwhile, off the pitch, in a move that stretches credulity beyond reason, Paul Lambert is handed a fresh deal to keep him at the club for another 4 years despite a record of W30 D20 L43 at a rate of 1.18 points per game - the worst record of any Villa manager after 93 games in charge.

Villa lose 0-3 for the second successive game as their unbeaten start to the League season is left well behind.

Villa lose their second Premier League game of the season and second in succession under Paul Lambert to fall back to sixth in the early table as a result.

Andreas Weimann makes his 75th start in a Villa shirt (101 Appearances) to make it W34 D25 L42, 22 Goals, 8 Assists and 7 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa lose for the third consecutive game and suffer their second successive Villa Park defeat as life returns to normal under Paul Lambert.

Villa have now failed to score in 21 of the last 45 games under Paul Lambert.

Villa lose for the 12th time in 23 home games under Paul Lambert.

Christian Benteke returns to the squad as a substitute following 15 games out with injury to make it 68 appearances (63 Starts) W23 D14 L31, 35 Goals, 11 Assists, 12 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Nathan Baker suffers his 40th defeat in a Villa shirt on his 79th Appearance (74 Starts) to make it W24 D15 L40, 10 Bookings and 1 Red Card so far in his Villa career.

Ashley Westwood makes his 75th appearance in a Villa (73 Starts) to make it W22 D17 L36, 3 Goals, 8 Assists and 11 Bookings so far in his Villa career.

Villa fail to score for the sixth time in seven games but hold West Ham to a draw at Upton Park to secure their first point since September under Paul Lambert.

Villa end a run of six Premier League defeats under Paul Lambert with a draw at high flying West Ham

Villa's have failed to score in 6 of 11 Premier League matches under Paul Lambert this season.

Villa have failed to score in 23 of 49 matches under Paul Lambert since the start of 2013-14.

Meanwhile, in what had become typical of the short-termism of Lambert’s recruitment policy, centre back Philippe Senderos makes his final appearance for Villa aged 29 before moving on to Grasshopper Club Zurich in January 2016 on a free transfer. Senderos had only joined Villa in July 2014 and left with a record of W3 D2 L4 and 2 Bookings.

Gabriel Agbonlahor collects his 40th booking in a Villa shirt on his 327th appearance (296 Starts) to make it W118 D96 L113, 80 Goals, 41 Assists and 40 Bookings so far in his Villa career.