Player #872 for Aston Villa, Carles Gil de Pareja Vicent known as Carles Gil played as a winger for the club in Villa’s 2014-15 and 2015-16 Premier League campaigns, with the latter ending in Villa’s first relegation from the top tier in nearly 30 years. Carles made 34 appearances and scored 3 goals.

Carles was born in Valencia on 22 November 1992.

Paul Lambert had signed Carles from Valencia CF for £3,780,000 on 13 January 2015 and the 22 year old was handed his debut as a 59’ substitute for Ashley Westwood in Villa’s 0-2 Premier League defeat to Liverpool on Saturday, 17 January 2015.

Carles started the next four games for Villa, games that were also Paul Lambert’s last for Villa before his sacking in February 2015 with Carles having scored his first goal for Villa in the 2-1 FA Cup 4th Round victory over AFC Bournemouth.

With the arrival of Lambert’s successor Tim Sherwood, Carles was given just one substitute appearance on 89’ in the FA Cup Quarter Final win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, 7 March 2015.

Carles started the disastrous 2015-16 campaign injured and wouldn’t make his first Premier League appearance of the season until Saturday, 29 August 2015 in the 2-2 draw with Sunderland at Villa Park after coming on as a 68’ substitute for Leandro Bacuna.

Sherwood handed Carles his first Premier League start under his regime on Sunday, 13 September 2015 and Carles put in an excellent performance as Villa went two goals up against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium only for the Villa defence collapse to lose the game 2-3.

Thereafter Gil made just 2 further starts and 2 substitute appearances under Tim Sherwood before the latter was sacked but under Sherwood’s successor Rémi Garde, Carles became a much more regular starter however he would score just one goal under Garde - a consolation in the 1-3 defeat away to Sunderland on Saturday, 2 January 2016.

Gil would make one appearance under caretaker manager Eric Black following the departure of Rémi Garde with this final game for Villa coming in the 0-4 defeat to Chelsea at Villa Park on Saturday, 2 April 2016

By no stretch was Carles Gil the worst signing of the bewildering reign of Paul Lambert and he certainly wasn’t the weakest link in the appalling squad that Villa compiled under Tim Sherwood’s reign in 2015-16 however in common with many of those who came later, Gil simply wasn’t of sufficient quality to make his mark in the Premier League.

To his credit however what a scenario it was to be plunged into, just 22, in a new country, in a new league with a struggling club and an incoherent manager even to native speakers. Carles though persevered and under Tim Sherwood he showed glimpses of quality. That sadly was not enough for what Villa needed.

Gil whilst remaining on Villa’s books was sent out on loan to Deportivo de La Coruña before joining the club on a permanent deal in July 2018 for a fee of £1,580,000 aged 25. Subsequently Gil has gone on to make a career in the MLS.

Perhaps the real testament to Gil is that if he returns to visit Villa Park he will be richly welcomed, and few players of the era could expect that.

Gil had played under Paul Lambert, Tim Sherwood, Rémi Garde and Eric Black.