John McGinn

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I have him just above Sir Dennis Mortimer, the only thing missing from SJM's stats are trophies but hopefully that will soon be amended. Interestingly their stats right now are almost identical; Sir Dennis 317 Villa appearance, 31 goals. SJM 318 Villa appearances, 37 goals.

That's just league appearances for Dennis. He played 406 times altogether, 36 goals. McGinn may well go past that but he needs to lift a trophy to compare to Mortimer.

You're right on the stats, I stand (yet again) corrected. I still maintain SJM to be the best captain in my lifetime, he just ticks every single box you want from a captain. Sir Dennis was generally in a team of captains, a great player. I still remember his home debut against West Ham on Boxing Day and witnessed every home game he played and plenty away. Like SJM, a fantastic engine, could and would run all day. His only real weakness was his shooting, without that flaw it would have been impossible for England managers to have ignored him, though no doubt they would have tried. He certainly deserved to played for England, it really was a scandal he never not even once got the chance.

[Holte132]

Had a quick look on Wikipedia about SJM. Love the polite way they comment about his arse:

 'He has unusually large buttocks which he uses to shield the ball and turn opponents'

[PeterWithe]

The only player around who can get close to replacing Ginny is Anderson at Forest.
Sadly, it’s inevitable he’ll get hoovered up by Man City if Forest go down.

He's a fine player but I wouldn't have him down as a similar player to SJM. And I prefer Wharton to him as a kind of semi gettable (with CL) deep lying playmaker, and prefer Youri to both of them.

[frank black]

His goal on Sunday was hilarious. He stood there shuffling into an exact position, then started waving both his arms forwards like he was Johnny Wilkinson, getting fully prepared for the shot, all before the free kick was taken.

I turned to my lad, “Keep your eye on McGinn”.

It was the most signposted goal ever, but what a goal!

[eamonn]

Was it? Morgan didn't seem to think so - was complaining as it was played to Sancho. Wasn't it Jadon who made it happen as per Joe Harte's analysis on MOTD2?

[Somniloquism]

Morgan would have been looking at Cash and not behind him at McGinn, the same that Sancho could also see the whole picture as well so between them both they decided the backup move was going to come off.

[frank black]

Was it? Morgan didn't seem to think so - was complaining as it was played to Sancho. Wasn't it Jadon who made it happen as per Joe Harte's analysis on MOTD2?

I saw Morgan on the footage moaning, but that routine was straight off the training pitch. McGinn was fully prepped, measured and waiting.

[Flamingo Lane]

I had a fantastic view of the goal from my seat in the Doug Ellis Upper. I was out of my seat the nanosecond that that his foot made contact with the ball, in fact his body shape was set in such a manner that I kind of knew he was going to score before he even hit the shot. Beautiful.

[KevinGage]

Was it? Morgan didn't seem to think so - was complaining as it was played to Sancho. Wasn't it Jadon who made it happen as per Joe Harte's analysis on MOTD2?

The detail Nanny McPhee and co put into set pieces it's possible the complaint was part of the ruse.

If some of the Wham backline are distracted and looking at Morgan that's all it takes.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

What's not to like..

[Hookeysmith]

Had a quick look on Wikipedia about SJM. Love the polite way they comment about his arse:

 'He has unusually large buttocks which he uses to shield the ball and turn opponents'

Wonder if the same compliment would work on the missus??

[john e]

I have him just above Sir Dennis Mortimer, the only thing missing from SJM's stats are trophies but hopefully that will soon be amended. Interestingly their stats right now are almost identical; Sir Dennis 317 Villa appearance, 31 goals. SJM 318 Villa appearances, 37 goals.

I was asked for my  best Villa 11 in my lifetime the other day
Started doing it, gave up, it’s impossible

The midfield and attacking wide players are the problem
Who do you pick when you’ve got Cowans, Platt, McGinn, Barry, Mortimer, Grealish, Morley, Little and a few more as your choices

It’s impossible

[brontebilly]

I have him just above Sir Dennis Mortimer, the only thing missing from SJM's stats are trophies but hopefully that will soon be amended. Interestingly their stats right now are almost identical; Sir Dennis 317 Villa appearance, 31 goals. SJM 318 Villa appearances, 37 goals.

I was asked for my  best Villa 11 in my lifetime the other day
Started doing it, gave up, it’s impossible

The midfield and attacking wide players are the problem
Who do you pick when you’ve got Cowans, Platt, McGinn, Barry, Mortimer, Grealish, Morley, Little and a few more as your choices

It’s impossible

McGinn surpassed Barry a while ago for me. Barry probably had the bigger arse

[N'ZMAV]

McGinn is the Villa legend of the past generation.

[olaftab]

Captain fantastic John McGinn revives Aston Villa’s stuttering season
Midfielder’s presence more than doubles team’s chances of winning as they strengthen their grip on qualification for the Champions League

Aaron Sutcliffe
Published 22 March 2026 7:54pm GMT

Captain fantastic John McGinn helped revive Aston Villa’s faltering season with a match-winning display against West Ham United as the midfielder once again underlined his importance to Unai Emery’s side.

The Scotland international scored the opening goal with a sumptuous curling effort into the left corner from 20 yards out, as Villa eased to victory against Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

Villa sealed the points in the 68th minute as Ollie Watkins, a notable omission from the latest England squad, ended his six-game goal drought in the Premier League with a close-range finish.

The victory halted Villa’s run of three straight league defeats.

McGinn’s opener marked the midfielder’s second winning goal as many games after he also found the net in the Europa League triumph against Lille.
Villa’s unlikely title challenge faded rapidly after McGinn suffered an injury during the club’s surprise home defeat by Everton in mid-January.
However, after making a return against Manchester United, McGinn has since scored two goals in as many games to underpin just how crucial a player he is for Villa.

In fact, the team are more than twice as likely to win when McGinn plays: their Premier League win percentage with him this season being 58.3 per cent compared with 28.6 per cent when he has been absent. They have claimed an average of 1.9 points per game with him in the team compared with 1.1 points per game without him.

Fourth-placed Villa now hold a six-point lead over Chelsea in sixth place after McGinn helped the club strengthen their grip on a Champions League place with his seventh goal of the campaign in all competitions.

McGinn made way for Youri Tielemans shortly before Villa’s second goal in another boost to the club’s Champions League hopes as the Belgian returned to the pitch for the first time in almost two months.

However, Villa manager Emery still wants more from McGinn, who he has challenged to reach double figures for goals and assists.
Emery said: “With John McGinn, half of his challenge was to up his numbers. Two years ago I told him at the beginning of the season that you are not adding numbers for the team.

“We want close to 10 goals and 10 assists, I said if he reaches those numbers we will achieve our objectives.

“He’s now adding numbers and with those numbers we can keep our position in the table.

“He is versatile, he’s played fantastic on the left side during the season but I decided to move him inside.

“I’m delighted how the players responded on the field. When you are not winning, everything looks more difficult and we needed to recover.
Villa punished West Ham’s slow start when McGinn curled a shot into the left corner from just outside the penalty area following Jadon Sancho’s lay-off across the edge of the box.

The home side spurned a glorious chance to double their lead when Watkins and Morgan Rogers exchanged passes in the box only for the left leg of Mads Hermansen to deny Watkins from 10 yards.

Paul Tierney awarded Villa a penalty on 27 minutes following a challenge by Konstantinos Mavropanos on Watkins in the box after both Rogers and McGinn failed to capitalise on the advantage played.

However, VAR Stuart Attwell sent Tierney to the pitch-side monitor and the referee overturned his original decision with it deemed Mavropanos had played the ball.

Mavropanos came to West Ham’s rescue again moments later when he somehow managed to head Rogers’s point-blank volley off the line following a corner from the right.

However, Villa eventually doubled their lead after the break as Hermansen could only parry Rogers’s shot into the path of Watkins, who slid to turn the ball home for his first goal at Villa Park since January.