Midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker believes Villa’s strong English backbone and free-flowing football are winning the hearts of the nation.

Martin O’Neill named eight Englishmen in the side that beat Albion on Saturday. It is a far cry from most of Villa’s Premier League rivals.

Reo-Coker feels O’Neill’s exciting young side are earning the support of neutrals.

He said: “A lot of people [who support other clubs] tell me Villa are their second team, they’re happy with what we’re doing and the way we’re going about it.

“We’re still playing very attractive football – even if we didn’t against Albion. We’re mainly English, so we’re educated about what English football means.

“We knew what going to Gillingham in the FA Cup would mean. You can’t take any opponent lightly – it’s the passion of the English game, getting back to the grass roots. We’re all English and we know what to expect.”

Villa are the form team in the top flight with 16 points out of a possible 18 from their last six games. It has moved them to within five points of leaders Liverpool and Reo-Coker believes Villa have earned the respect of the Premier League.

He has warned the big four they mean business.

Reo-Coker said: “A lot of teams are showing us respect now. Even the top four teams are showing respect, the way they come. Look at Liverpool and how they lined up. They know we mean business.

“We have a young, good English team. Attacking-wise we can be lethal and defensively we can hold it up. The most important thing is the team spirit.

“We’ve conceded so many first goals yet come back to win, which is fantastic for such a young team.”