John McGinn hit a memorable milestone over the weekend, making his 250th appearance for Aston Villa in Saturday’s visit of Crystal Palace.
The Villa captain provided an assist for Ollie Watkins in the 36th minute, marking the landmark fixture with his 20th Premier League assist, becoming only the 11th Villan to hit this figure in the history of the competition.
The Scottish international has become a fan favourite in B6 since arriving in the summer of 2018, representing the club from the Championship all the way to the Champions League.
Here we take a look at some of his most significant matches in claret and blue…
Game One
Ginny’s first appearance in claret and blue came at the beginning of the 2018/19 season in the Championship. A thrilling 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic at Villa Park set the tone for a successful season which saw the Villans promoted back to the Premier League through the play-offs.
On debut, having arrived from Hibernian three days prior, McGinn immediately struck a chord with the Holte Enders thanks to a tenacious, all-action display, sprinkled with a little quality in a way only he can.
Lining up alongside would-be match-winner Birkir Bjarnason in midfield, the Scot provided the assist for Villa’s first goal just 13 minutes into his debut, swinging a pinpoint free-kick onto the head of James Chester to head home.
Goals either side of the break saw the visitors take the lead, before Villa drew level just after the hour through a Chey Dunkley own goal from McGinn’s corner, and stole all three points in the fourth minute of added time to make it two wins from two to begin their league campaign.
Villa Park magic
Just over a month later, McGinn netted his first goal for the club with a strike many supporters class as the best goal they have ever seen at Villa Park.
It came in Villa’s first home defeat of the season against Sheffield Wednesday, pulling Steve Bruce’s side level in the 53rd minute after Marco Matias had given the South Yorkshire outfit the lead.
In front of the Holte End, the ball dropped to Ginny 25 yards from goal, and he let fly with an unstoppable volley that flew past Cameron Dawson in the Wednesday net, cannoning off the underside of the crossbar on its way in.
Wembley!
After overcoming local rivals West Bromwich Albion in the play-off semi-finals, Villa faced off against Derby County in the final at Wembley, for a place back in the top flight.
Anwar El Ghazi’s header had given the Villans the lead on the stroke of half-time at the national stadium, before McGinn sent the Villa faithful into delirium just before the hour mark.
As El Ghazi’s deflected effort looked to be looping into the arms of Kelle Roos, McGinn stole in to nod past the Derby stopper and give Dean Smith’s men breathing space in the tie.
Jack Marriott’s late strike made for a nervy finish, but the day belonged to Aston Villa, and John McGinn.
Back in the big time
McGinn’s first Premier League appearance came later that year, and was marked with another goal – at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
He latched onto a long ball from Tyrone Mings and fired home past Hugo Lloris to put Villa in dreamland just nine minutes in, with their first top flight goal in over three years.
The Villans kept their hosts at bay for much of the game, but three goals in the final 20 minutes from Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane (2) saw the North Londoners run out 3-1 winners.
50 up
McGinn hit his first milestone in claret and blue a month later and was again on the scoresheet as Villa narrowly lost out 3-2 at Unai Emery’s Arsenal.
The Scotsman flicked El Ghazi’s cross home to put the visitors in the lead after 20 minutes at the Emirates Stadium before Wesley restored Villa’s advantage on the hour after Nicolas Pépé had dragged the Gunners level from the penalty spot.
But Arsenal turned the tie around with late goals from Calum Chambers and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to ensure McGinn’s day ended in defeat.
Staying up
July 2020 saw McGinn again play his part as Villa sealed their Premier League survival with a 1-1 draw away at West Ham United.
Just two weeks prior, Dean Smith’s side were seven points from safety but put together a four-game unbeaten streak to end the season, with a point at the London Stadium completing the job.
Ginny had a hand as Villa opened the scoring six minutes from time, finding Jack Grealish on the edge of the area who arrowed an effort past Łukasz Fabiański.
Andriy Yarmolenko’s instant response for the Hammers made for an uncomfortable finale, but a point – coupled with a defeat for Watford – proved enough to keep Villa up.
Triple figures
Ginny hit a ton of Villa appearances in March 2021, with 90 minutes at a behind-closed-doors St. James’ Park, as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle United.
Ollie Watkins thought he had taken all three points back to the Midlands after his 86th-minute strike deflected off Ciaran Clark and looped in, but up popped Jamaal Lascelles in the fourth minute of added time to snatch a share of the spoils for the Magpies.
150th appearance
Like his 250th game for the club, McGinn’s 150th appearance in claret and blue came against Crystal Palace, in August 2022.
McGinn led Villa out as captain at Selhurst Park and they took the lead through Ollie Watkins just five minutes in.
But Palace quickly responded through Wilfried Zaha, who doubled his tally after the break, before Jean-Philippe Mateta secured a 3-1 victory for the Eagles.
Two tons
McGinn’s 200th game for the club was one to forget last season, as Villa fell to a 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Emery’s side visited the City Ground on Bonfire Night and quickly fell behind courtesy of Ola Aina’s fifth-minute piledriver before Orel Mangala’s strike secured the points for Steve Cooper’s men just after the break.
Championship to Champions League
This season brought one of the proudest moments of McGinn’s Aston Villa career.
Just over a year after captaining his side to – and in – UEFA Europa Conference League football, McGinn led his teammates out at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern as Villa faced off against BSC Young Boys in the club’s first fixture in Europe’s elite competition since the 1982/83 campaign.
The evening was a successful one as Villa ran riot on their UEFA Champions League debut. Goals from Youri Tielemans – after McGinn had found him with an inch-perfect corner – and Jacob Ramsey put Emery’s men in command at the break before Amadou Onana sealed a memorable night four minutes from time.
For McGinn, the Championship to Champions League circle was complete.
First Champions League goal
Things got even better for McGinn in the Champions League a month later.
Making his first appearance in the competition at Villa Park, after missing the historic victory over Bayern Munich with injury, McGinn retuned to the side with a bang.
Following a goalless first half, Ginny raised the roof in B6 ten minutes after the restart, breaking the deadlock in front of the Holte End when his looping free-kick found its way through a crowded area and into the far corner, capping another memorable evening for McGinn and Villa.
250 appearances in claret and blue for Super John McGinn. Here’s to many more.
