Player #885 for Aston Villa, José Ángel Crespo Rincón, known as José Ángel Crespo, played as a full back for the club in Villa’s 2015-16 Premier League relegation season, making two appearances.

Crespo was born in Lora del Río on 9 February 1987 and had signed for Villa from Córdoba CF for €800k on 28 July 2015.

Bizarrely, his transfer to Villa came just 27 days after Córdoba themselves had paid €500k to acquire Crespo from Bologna F.C. 1909.

Crespo was one of a series of controversial signings undertaken ostensibly under the leadership of Tim Sherwood but in truth driven by the sheer idiocy of Sporting Director Hendrik Almstadt and Director of Scouting and Recruitment Paddy Riley. Two names that would be painted into Villa folklore for their footballing illiteracy and ultimate responsibility for Villa’s first relegation in three decades.

Arriving at Villa under those curious circumstances, Crespo had to wait 67 days after signing to make his Villa debut in the 0-1 loss to Stoke City on Saturday, 3 October 2015, aged 28. It was immediately clear that Crespo was not of a sufficient standard to compete in the Premier League.

Sherwood would not select Crespo again.

However, just 25 days later, Crespo made his second and final appearance for Villa in the League Cup defeat at Southampton under another individual of questionable character in caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald.

With the arrival of new permanent Villa boss Rémi Garde, Crespo was quickly ushered out on loan to Rayo Vallecano from 20 January 2016 to the end of the season, after which he moved on to PAOK Thessaloniki in July 2016 on a free transfer, aged 29.

A most misguided signing in the most demoralising of campaigns.

Crespo played under Tim Sherwood and Kevin MacDonald.