Colin Abbott – författare

With Aston Villa back on the European stage, a whole new generation of die-hard fans were able to set out and capture unforgettable nights under the lights at Villa Park and thrilling away days across the continent. From stunning performances at home to epic journeys across the length and breadth of Europe, fans watched their team go head to head with some of the biggest clubs in world football - living every high, every heartbreak, and every unforgettable moment. Now, their stories and photographs have been brought together by club historian and author Colin Abbott in a brand new hard-back book that celebrates Villa's European revival in all its glory. Read about fans coming face to face with the Ballon d'Or, being a guest of the notorious Olympiacos ultras, witnessing European hat-tricks, dealing with cancelled planes, scrambling to get a passport renewed with only a weeks' notice, blagging a ticket off John McGinn and ending up sat next to his brother - and find out why some German newspapers still refuse to acknowledge the RB Leipzig name! This new volume follows in the footsteps of Barton's Army: Conquering Europe with Aston Villa, which Abbott compiled to mark the 40th anniversary of the club's iconic European Cup triumph. That first edition featured his own account of attending the 1982 Final, along with unforgettable tales from fellow Villans who followed the team's journey from Iceland to Rotterdam. This new book brings the story of the club's proud European heritage bang up to date and fans will love to relive these wonderful memories.