Waking the Giant: Inside the Rebirth of Aston Villa

The inside story of one football club’s astonishing revival

Featuring exclusive interviews with Jack Grealish, John McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, along with many other key figures

In early July 2018, Aston Villa were staring into the abyss.

Locked in a cash crisis triggered by defeat in the Championship play-off final, one of English football’s most historic and successful clubs stood on the brink of financial catastrophe.

Yet less than six years later, Villa were celebrating qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Waking The Giant takes you inside one of the most extraordinary revival acts in modern football, from the last-minute takeover by billionaire duo Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens which saved the club, through the promotion and equally remarkable Premier League survival inspired by boyhood supporter Dean Smith, right up to the present day and their return to the European elite under Unai Emery.

It is a tale of triumph plucked from the jaws of despair, several times over, with Villa frequently defying the odds to keep climbing and reclaim their place at English football’s top table.

From club record runs to great escapes from relegation and British record transfers, this is a rollercoaster ride not to be missed.

Featuring exclusive interviews with:

• Jack Grealish
• John McGinn
• Ollie Watkins
• Tyrone Mings
• Ezri Konsa
• Albert Adomah
• Damian Vidagany, Director of Football Operations
• Jesus Garcia Pitarch, former sporting director
• Dean Smith, former manager
• Keith Wyness, former CEO

And dozens of other off-the-record conversations with key figures, managers, coaches, players and staff.

Gregg Evans writes for The Athletic and the New York Times. Before that he covered West Midlands football for Reach PLC, formerly Trinity Mirror and had stories published in the Birmingham Mail, Sunday Mercury and Daily Mirror. He’s also a regular on the 1874 Aston Villa Podcast. He’s on X as @greggevans40.

Matt Maher is chief sports writer at the Express & Star and has covered sport in the West Midlands for more than 15 years. His coverage of Aston Villa saw him named regional sports writer of the year in 2021. He’s on X as @mjmarr_star.