You’ve got to love Jack Grealish no matter what club you rally for. Beyond his remarkable soccer prowess, the England international’s 24/7 witty and jolly nature always makes him cool as a cucumber. No, we aren’t talking about his crazy trophy parade celebration antics or messing around with teammates. A reason to believe us is by hearing out an adorable and nostalgic fan moment that Grealish recently encountered with an Aston Villa supporter, his very own boyhood club, where it all began for the Manchester City star.
Pep Guardiola’s side is in the US for their pre-season tour. Ahead of tomorrow’s Barcelona clash, Grealish took time to say hello to fans who came to the stadium to watch the training session. A video surfaced on the internet showcasing a young lad donning an Aston Villa shirt with a marker in his hand came running toward the 28-year-old but was separated by the stand’s big wall. Taking the marker from the young supporter, Grealish asked him “Villa fan?” to which the fan nodded with a big yes in excitement.
However, seemingly unconvinced, the England forward asked him, “You still like me though?” before signing his jersey. Interestingly, the boy nodded again positively, which brought a huge smile to Grealish’s face and the forward said, “Ah boy!” After getting the much-needed approval, the attacker then proceeded to sign the boy’s shirt and shook hands with him.
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Jack Grealish: 'Villa fan? You still like me though?' 🤣#AVFC
— Aston Villa Statto (@AVFCStatto) July 30, 2024
Of course, the reason Grealish asked this question was to confirm if the aspiring Villa fan had hatred towards him, given that he made a switch to Manchester City in the summer of 2021. Regardless of his decision to leave the Birmingham-based club, the moment made it evident that the kid held a similar fondness for Grealish. However, similar might not be the case with others!
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Jack Grealish doesn’t understand why he gets booed on away grounds!
Despite being adored by Manchester City and a few Aston Villa fans, there are still many who don’t like Jack Grealish at all. This comes after the player and his mother noticed that in every away game that the Birmingham-born plays, he doesn’t feel welcomed. “I always think about it. I always wonder, ‘why do they boo me?’ – and my mum always asks me about it as well,” he said while speaking to talkSPORT.
What’s your perspective on:
Does Jack Grealish still hold a special place in Aston Villa fans' hearts despite his move to Man City?
Have an interesting take?
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Grealish always fails to answer not just his mother but even to himself that why he gets booed by a certain group of fans. Notably, each time he used to receive the ball, jeers often erupted from the visiting section of the stadium. Additionally, supporters even mock him for every mishandled touch or pass. “At every single away ground I go to now, I get booed and I’m not entirely sure why it is – I just have to try and take it as a positive or a compliment.”
Of course, there’s no choice for the former Villa man but to deal with the boos by taking it as a compliment. Perhaps, this again might be the reason why he asked the young Villa fanboy if he likes him as he prepares with City for the friendly clash in an away stadium. Regardless, a touching moment with the boy!
Debate
Does Jack Grealish still hold a special place in Aston Villa fans' hearts despite his move to Man City?