After an absence of three years, Aston Villa are back in the Premier League after winning yet another nerve-wracking Championship play-off final against Derby County on Monday.
Goals by Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn, aided by defensive errors, meant that Villa manager Dean Smith completed a remarkable turnaround to take them back to the big time even if they had to resist a late, dramatic Derby comeback.
Smith, a Villa fan, who grew up in Great Barr just four miles from Villa Park, took over last October and reunited the disenchanted supporters who sang long and gleefully at Wembley.
After the disappointment of losing last year’s final here was redemption for Villa. The Duke, under a baseball cap, sat with the former Villa player and joined in the celebrations.
