LUCK’S ALL DAD

Old man gave us help from above says Smith

But the Villa boss insists his side deservedly stayed up and is backing the big- spenders to kick on when the Blades return this evening.

Villa eventually beat the drop by just one point.

It might have been different had they lost their first game after the lockdown instead of drawing 0- 0 with Sheffield United at home.

This was despite Villa keeper Orjan Nyland carrying Oliver Norwood’s 42nd- minute free- kick over the line.

But referee Michael Oliver did not r eceive a signal to his watch to indicate a goal.

The operator of the Premier League’s goal- line technology system was later forced apologise.

Smith, whose dad Ron passed away this summer after previously being a club steward, said: “It was one of those one in a million things. It has never failed before and it failed on that day.

“Dad’s old steward’s jacket was in the Holte End and he had a thing about watches. So maybe he just wanted to play a bit of a trick that day!

“People can say what they want about the goal. We stayed up by merit and there were certainly many goals chalked off which shouldn’t have been.

VAR was contentious last season to say the least for Aston Villa.”

Smith is poised to hand debuts to new £ 20m keeper Emiliano Martinez, £ 28m club- record striker Ollie Watkins, £ 14m right- back Matty Cash and £ 17m winger Bertrand Traore.

He said: “Emiliano wanted a fresh challenge and we’ve got a situation where Tom Heaton got injured on New Year’s Day and isn’t going to be fit for the start of this season.

“I had an opportunity to get a keeper of that calibre to start the season with us. We’ve managed to get it over the line and sign him.

“These opportunities around very often. He’s a player who finished the season really well with Arsenal, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield.

“He’s a very good keeper who was well thought of at their club, but he wanted to play regular football.

“He’s fought for eight to nine years for that at Arsenal to get regular football and he didn’t think with the messages that were coming from them that he was going to get that.” don’t

WATCHMAN: Ref Oliver with ‘ non- scorer’ Norwood

HEAVEN SENT: Dean Smith says dad may have helped keep Villa up