Jack Grealish is the fan turned
A12-year- old Jack Grealish burst through the front door barely able to contain his excitement. He couldn’t quite get over what he had in his hands.
‘Can you believe Gabby agbonlahor has kicked this?’ he shouted to his dad Kevin with incredulity. It was one of the balls aston Villa had used for first- team training, given out to watching kids by the academy staff. There was no way he was going to let go of it for a long while.
Tomorrow Grealish, Villa’s first notable homegrown player since agbonlahor, will line up alongside his idol in the Fa Cup final against arsenal. It is a dream come true for the aston Villa fan whose family are claret and blue through and through.
Grealish fell in love with Villa when he went to his first game aged four. It was the Fa Cup fifth-round victory over leeds United in 2000, sealed with a Benito Carbone hat-trick.
aged seven he signed his own season ticket for the doug ellis lower Stand. Tomorrow it will be his dad, mum Karen, older brother Kevan and girlfriend Sasha watching him from a Wembley box. His younger sisters Kiera, 13, and Hollie, 11, will be watching back home in Solihull alongside further members of the extended clan.
The 19-year-old midfielder announced his talent to a national audience on his only other appearance at Wembley and when he walks out tomorrow his mind is likely to dance over events that have led to this point. He may think about the regular kickabouts with Kevan and five cousins round the back of the New aston Social Club, located in the shadow of the Holte end and Spaghetti Junction, where he earned the nickname Twinkletoes.
The image of great-great grandfather Billy Garraty, who was man of the match when Villa won the Fa Cup in 1905, could flash into focus. So too baby brother Keelan, who passed away aged nine months from cot death 15 years ago.
Family is all-important to Grealish. His mum, dad, brother and girlfriend shared hugs and joyful tears after liverpool were defeated in the semi-final. The eyes of Birmingham and beyond will be on Grealish to see if he can fulfill a story of supporter turned star that would make roy of the rovers scoff.
Kevin has seen Villa win every trophy in person, including the 1982 european Cup and 1996 league Cup — Villa’s last piece of silverware — bar the Fa Cup. He has long believed his second son could be part of a victorious team to complete the collection.
Professionally it will be intense, given alexis Sanchez, Mesut ozil, aaron ramsey and Santi Cazorla stand as technically excellent and more experienced midfield opponents.
But Grealish is confident in his abilities, wearing his hair like James dean and socks like George Best.
‘He has put his heart and soul into making it,’ says Kevin. ‘He would be out with a ball at playtimes, after school, holidays. Birthday presents would be football nets, a set of cones.
‘I built a large patio out the back and in winter it doubled as a mini pitch for my boys and their cousins. It was football all year round. Jack loved that.’
aged six, Grealish joined Highgate United where he was spotted by Villa scout Jim Thomas, who has also recruited lee Sharpe, dean Sturridge and Mark Walters during his long career.
‘The first time I saw Jack it was a six-a- side game,’ recalls Thomas, 78. ‘He got the ball from the goalkeeper, ran the length of the pitch and goal! I thought, “Here’s a flash in the pan”. But he did it again 10 minutes later. Sheer trickery. He was the best all-rounder I’ve seen. exceptional.’
The Italy Under 14s defender forced to wedgie Grealish in an international against republic of Ireland would agree. That was the age academy coach Gordon Cowans asked he give up Gaelic football as his Villa career got serious.
The coming decision on his international future is coloured by his Irish and english heritage. Three of his four grandparents are from Kerry, Galway and dublin, yet he has a distinct Brummie accent, like his parents. His ability makes the debate an issue, just 10 starts into his Villa career.
The majority of his senior football has come on loan at Notts County last season under Shaun derry, who got the best from the teenager as the side pulled off a remarkable escape from relegation.
‘He had a swagger,’ says derry. ‘you don’t see that usually until you reach