|
|
|
 |
Wed 7th June 2000 - Delaney. Top Villan. |
| June Headlines
|
Report courtesy of www.avfc.co.uk Mark Delaney pipped Paul Merson to the top Villa Opta index rating for 99/00, to seal an amazing rise from the amateur ranks with Carmarthen Town in under two years. The 24-year-old scored 849 points from 2,290 minutes played, with Merson on 845, Gareth Southgate on 817, Ian Taylor on 780, George Boateng on 753 and Dion Dublin sixth on 749. Delaney kept out Steve Watson for the majority of a season in which he played at right-back in a back-four or, more usually, right wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation for Villa but also won the admiration of his boyhood hero and present Wales boss, Mark Hughes. Though his sole Premiership strike was a beauty, Delaney managed only two assists, with an overall pass completion rate of 64%. Defensively, however, he was invaluable, conceding a mere 21 fouls, winning 39% of his 125 tackles, making 107 clearances, 35 blocks and 19 interceptions. |
Copyright Michael Morris 2000.
Ex City player Mark Delaney, in his first full season as a Premiership
player has come top of the Aston Villa Carling Opta stats for 1999 / 2000. Mark beat
England player Paul Merson into second place at Villa Park. Congratulations to Mark, his
rise to the top has been phenomenal, last season he played for Villa twice at Wembley and
received an FA Cup runners up medal. He also established himself in the Welsh side. That
is a boost for City as a further cash payment from Villa was dependant on international
caps won.