FLIGHTMARE
Thomas Cook collapse hits Villa hopes
DEAN SMITH has revealed Aston Villa’s Premier League survival bid has been hit by the collapse of Thomas Cook.
Villa beat Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday but were unable to fly home from nearby Gatwick airport.
Smith (inset) says all the planes were busy returning stranded customers home in the wake of the travel company’s closure.
To top off the nightmare journey home, the M23 and M25 motorways were shut.
It meant Smith and his squad, who are 18th after just one win, had to endure a torrid latenight bus journey from the south coast to Villa Park 176 miles away. It took four-and-a-half hours and they got back at 2.30am.
Smith said: “Wednesday was a great workout and gave everyone a boost apart from the journey back with a closed M23 and M25. We got back about 2.30am.
“We were going to fly but because of Thomas Cook we couldn’t fly back from Gatwick. But we took two coaches, there was a lot of room so the lads could have a lie down and a sleep on the way back.
“But I am not sure how many villages we actually went through.
“I know at one stage John McGinn said he thought Thomas Cook had shut the motorways as well.
“But we had already planned it was going to be a late night so trained later at 1pm on the Thursday.”
Villa keeper Tom Heaton is in line to face former club Burnley for the first time today.
The England international got off to a difficult start in Villa colours when he conceded a penalty just a minute into his home debut against Bournemouth in a 2-1 defeat.
But Smith added: “He has settled in straight away. He is an experienced player and a pretty constant member of the
England squad.
“We knew he was the right fit for our dressing room.
“He made that mistake against Bournemouth at the Holte End after
50 seconds.
“But since then he has been Mr
Dependable – he is unflappable.
“He put that behind him and got on with the game.”