Gary Gardner: Dream goal is for the Aston Villa fans
Boyhood fan Gary Gardner has dedicated his first Villa goal to the club's supporters – after describing scoring in the Second City derby as a dream come true.
The 24-year-old opened his account at St Andrew's yesterday as Steve Bruce's side played out a 1-1 draw with Blues in the Championship.
Gardner, who was born in Solihull, comes from family that includes both Villa and City supporters. But the midfielder couldn't hide his delight at netting in the derby.
"To score here is something I'll never forget," he said. "It's something that as a kid you dream about. There is no better feeling.
"The Villa fans have been through so much over the past few years. So to run and celebrate with them was a great feeling."
The clash at St Andrew's also saw Gabby Agbonlahor feature for Villa for the first time in seven months. And Steve Bruce is expecting the striker to play a key role in the rest of the campaign. "I think you could see how much it meant to him to be involved," the boss said. "Whatever has happened in the past, I think he has paid a high price for it. My aim now is to get him on some sort of programme so that I can use him for 90 minutes instead of 20.
"He's probably been in a dark place, a horrible place, but let's not forget he has played in the big league all his life and scored goals. I would be foolish to discard him. It's my job to get the best out of him. And if we do that he can be as good as any striker in this division."
