WATCHING ASTON VILLA tumble bleakly towards the Championship and Leeds United toil from crisis to crisis, it’s inevitable to dwell on the fact that it wasn’t always like this.
And it’s two decades since both teams met each other in a domestic cup final at Wembley.
Of course, there have been other successes for the clubs since – most notably Leeds’ golden generation and their remarkable run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2001.
For Villa, there would be an FA Cup final appearance in 2000 and another just last year while there was plenty of European football under Martin O’Neill too.
But in 1996, it seemed to make sense that the sides were contesting a high-profile decider. They had been consistently making noises.
Leeds had claimed the 1992 title, snatching and grabbing from under the noses of a faltering Manchester United. In 1994, they finished in fifth and it was more of the same the following year.
Villa were the top-flight runners-up in 1990 and were in contention again for much of the 1992/93 campaign before fading as the finish line approached. They had already tasted League Cup glory in 1994, as they deprived United of what would’ve been an historic treble.
Twenty years ago, they got the better of Leeds as goals from Savo Milosevic, Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke ensured a comfortable victory.
How it all must feel so long ago for the weary supporters of both teams.
Aston Villa: Mark Bosnich, Gareth Southgate, Paul McGrath, Ugo Ehiogu, Gary Charles, Alan Wright, Ian Taylor, Mark Draper, Andy Townsend (c), Savo Milosevic, Dwight Yorke.
Subs: Michael Oakes, Steve Staunton, Tommy Johnson
Leeds United: John Lukic, Lucas Radebe, David Wetherall, John Pemberton, Gary Kelly, Gary Speed, Carlton Palmer, Mark Ford, Gary McAllister (c), Andy Gray, Tony Yeboah.
Subs: Nigel Worthington, Brian Deane, Tomas Brolin.
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