Gardner and Robinson new deals !

Gary Gardner and Callum Robinson today both signed new two-year deals with Villa.

Gardner put the finishing touches to his contract, which was agreed in May, while Robinson returned from a summer break to put pen to paper.

Gardner, 22, has been at Villa since he was seven-years-old and has made 18 appearances for the first team, while Robinson, 19, has been at Villa since he was eight-years-old and made his senior breakthrough last season, appearing five times.

Both academy graduates were ecstatic to commit their futures to the club.

Midfielder Gardner said: "I'm buzzing. The club have been brilliant with me.

"I've had a bit of bad luck in the past two years but I'm feeling good and strong now so hopefully I can repay them.

"I've been here from a young age and I've been to Villa games all my life as a fan so it is a dream come true to play for the first team like I have done.

"Obviously injuries have hampered my progress but I've learned a lot from my experiences and I'm definitely stronger. The people around me have made me stronger, too.

"The club have been superb so now I want to kick on. I feel like everyone is right behind me."

Forward Robinson added: "I am absolutely delighted to sign a new deal here.

"Now it's about pushing on and progressing.

"Last season was fantastic. I didn't expect so many positives to come out of it. To work as hard as I have and then have the gaffer give me a chance with the first team, it was amazing. I have loved every minute of it.

"That feeling of coming on for my first team debut Tottenham was amazing and then to get my Premier League debut against Southampton at Villa Park was just crazy.

"I remember watching it on Match of the Day later that night and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My family were delighted. My friends were really pleased for me.

"It was a really good season and now, after signing my new contract, I want better ones in the coming years in claret and blue.

"I really want to push on and get more minutes for the first team. That's my aim. I want to keep scoring goals too."

Will Lamnert really play them though? Certainly not ahead of the shite like KEA Wiemann and Gabby

HarryAVFC wrote:Will Lamnert really play them though? Certainly not ahead of the shite like KEA Wiemann and Gabby

I'm hoping Keane will be wearing the trousers .

I expect he will. IC did by the sounds of things. Lambert did feck all.

I'm not convinced with Callum Robinson, I don't know maybe I've haven't seen enough of him.

Robinson comes highly recommended by a friend of mine who does the Villa data for Football Manager. He is very realistic when it comes to the data. So if he says a player is good, then he is usually good...

Pleased to see Gardner given another chance. If he has suffered no long term damage after a couple of serious injuries, then he has a lot of promise...

Ok Andy thanks for posting that bud, your man seems to have a lot of knowledge with the player stat's if he is doing footy manager, I'll trust his judgement and keep my eyes open for him :) Just to ask mate have you seen much of him? I'm going to have look over at AVTV footage later too so hopefully I'll get more of an idea as I've only seen bits and bobs.

I havent personally seen him play. I live in Devon these days, so dont get to watch youth / reserve games anymore, so I havd to trust my mates judgrment on academy players. & I do trust him. He is very realistic with his data, which iis great for knowing who to look out for, but not so great for Football Manager due to the fact that he is the only realistic data researcher in the game, lol..,

But I digress, my knowledge of youth players these days is second hand via Andy & the last batch I saw was the likes of Bannan, Albrighton, Delfouneso, etc. Talent spotting is always pretty difficult as natursl ability is only a small element of whether a player will make it or not, especially at Prem level. Delfouneso has all the natural ability in the world & then some. Things I have seen that kid do, blows me away & I was convinced he would become a top top player & thd question in my mind was not whether hecwould make it, more a question of how long would we be able to keep him... He is the most disappointing youth player I have ever seen because he should be well ahead of the likes of Danny Welbeck in terms of player progression because Danny Welbeck isnt fit to lace Delfouneso's boots in terms of natural ability. But, one has a great attitude & drive to succeed & develop further, both on & off the pitch, & the other thought he had made it & is now on the footballing scrap heap...