5 Years On, Where are they now?
- James
- Jan 8
- 9 min read
Friday, 8 January 2021, one of the most remarkable days in Villa's long and illustrious history as an entirely new team, packed with youth team players, take on the reigning Premier League Champions in the third round of the FA Cup.
On This Day
Villa handed starting debuts to 11 players for only the second time in their history with the first having come in their first ever FA Cup game on Saturday, 13 December 1879 against Stafford Road.
Villa handed debuts to 16 players in total - their most ever in a single professional fixture.
Villa fielded their youngest ever side, with the starting line-up averaging 18.80 years.
Full Match Report: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/5564
Starting XI:
GK Ákos Ónodi | 🇭🇺 | 🟢 | 🔴 |
LB Callum Rowe | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔥 | 🔴 | 🔁 |
CB Dominic Revan | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 |
CB Mungo Bridge | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 |
CB Lamare Bogarde | 🇳🇱 | 🟢 | 🔁 |
RB Jake Walker | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 | 🔁 |
RB Kaine Kesler Hayden | 🏴 | 🟢 |
M Ben Chrisene | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔁 |
M Mamadou Dialla Sylla | 🇪🇸 | 🟢 | 🔴 |
M Arjan Raikhy | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 | 🔁 |
CF Louie Barry | 🏴 | 🟢 | ⚽ |
Substitutes:
🔁 CF Brad Young | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 | for M Ben Chrisene | 🏴 | 61' |
🔁 M Harrison Sohna | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 | for M Arjan Raikhy | 🏴 | 65' |
🔁 M Hayden Lindley | 🏴 | 🟢 | 🔴 | for CB Lamare Bogarde | 🇳🇱 | 66' |
🔁 CB Sil Swinkels | 🇳🇱 | 🟢 | for LB Callum Rowe | 🏴 | 75' |
🔁 M Teddy Rowe | 🏴 | 🟢 | for RB Jake Walker | 🏴 | 75' |
Unused:
GK Oliwer Zych | 🇵🇱 |
RB Frankie Ealing | 🏴 |
M Taylor Jay-Hart | 🏴 |
M Michael Tait | 🏴 |
Where are they now?
GK Ákos Ónodi | 🇭🇺 | #956 |
Ákos Ónodi, 19, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 951st player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Ónodi was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2022 aged 20.
Now back in Hungary in his second season with Szeged-Csanád - GA, having initially joined Akritas Chlorakas 🇨🇾 in the Cyprus Second Division before a period without a club.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/%C3%A1kos-%C3%B3nodi
CB Dominic Revan | 🏴 | #958 |
Dominic Revan, 20, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 952nd player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Revan was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2022 aged 21.
Initially joining Barnet, he remained with them for two seasons before moving on to Hampton & Richmond Borough.
Now playing for FC Salisbury in National League South
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/dominic-revan
CB Mungo Bridge | 🏴 | #953 | Mungo Bridge, 20, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 953rd player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Bridge was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2022 aged 21. Joined Macclesfield FC for the 2022-23 season before moving on to Daventry Town.
Has been without a club since 2023.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/mungo-bridge
DM Lamare Bogarde | 🇳🇱 | #952 |
Lamare Bogarde, 17, made his debut in a Villa shirt to become the 954th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Still with Villa and thriving under Unai Emery, having made his 39th appearance for the club in last night's game at Selhurst Park.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/lamare-bogarde
RB Kaine Kesler Hayden | 🏴 | #955 |
Kaine Kesler-Hayden, 17, made his debut in a Villa shirt to become the 955th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Having spent five successful spells on loan with Swindon, MK Dons, Huddersfield, Plymouth and Preston, Kesler Hayden made a further four appearances for the club following his debut before moving on to Coventry City for €4.00m in July 2025.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/kaine-kesler-hayden
RB Jake Walker | 🏴 | #961 |
Jake Walker, 20, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 956th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football. Walker was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2021 aged 20.
Walker moved on to Newtown AFC in the Welsh Premier League but has since been without a club since 2023.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/jake-walker
LB Callum Rowe | 🏴 | #959 |
Callum Rowe, 21, contributes an assist on his sole appearance in a Villa shirt and becomes the 957th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Rowe was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2021 aged 20.
Rowe moved on to Exeter City before dropping into non-league. Now turns out for Ashton United whom he joined at the start of the season.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/callum-rowe
M Ben Chrisene | 🏴 | #954 |
The baby of the baby bunch, Ben Chrisene, 16, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 958th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Chrisene was sold to Norwich City in July 2024 for €1.80m, having spent time out on loan with Kilmarnock and Blackburn Rovers.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/ben-chrisene
M Mamadou Dialla Sylla | 🇪🇸 | #960 |
Mamadou Dialla Sylla, 17, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 959th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Sylla was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2021 aged 18. Joined UD Almería 🇪🇸 before a period without a club between 2023-25.
Now playing in Sweden's Ettan Norra for Örebro Syrianska IF 🇸🇪
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/mamadou-dialla-sylla
M Arjan Raikhy | 🏴 | #957 |
Arjan Raikhy, 18, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt to become the 960th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Raikhy was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2023 aged 20.
Moved onto Leicester Youth with whom he remained until this season before joining Boston United and spending 2025-26 on loan at Morecambe.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/arjan-raikhy
CF Louie Barry | 🏴 | #951 |
Louie Barry, 17, made a goalscoring Villa debut to become the 961st player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football. Still with Villa having made more loans than Donald Trump. This week returned from an injury-hit spell in the Championship with struggling Sheffield United.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/louie-barry
CF Brad Young | 🏴 | #962 |
Brad Young, 18, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt as a substitute to become the 962nd player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Young was released from the Villa Youth set up in September 2023 aged 20.
Moved on to The New Saints 🏴 in Cymru Premier, scoring 32 goals in 19 games before earning a €226k move to Al-Orobah 🇸🇦. Now back in Wales with Caernarfon Town 🏴 after spending time in the UAE.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/brad-young
M Harrison Sohna | 🏴 | #963 |
Harrison Sohna, 18, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt as a substitute to become the 963rd player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football. Sohna was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2021 aged 19. Moved onto Sunderland 🏴 before joining Cheltenham Town 🏴 in 2024.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/harrison-sohna
M Hayden Lindley | 🏴 | #964 |
Hayden Lindley, 18, made his debut in a Villa shirt as a substitute to become the 964th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football.
Joined Golcar United 🏴 in 2023 before moving on to Darlington 🏴 and FC United of Manchester 🏴 over the next couple of seasons, now with Emley FC 🏴
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/hayden-lindley
CB Sil Swinkels | 🇳🇱 | #965 |
Sil Swinkels, 17, made his debut in a Villa shirt as a substitute to become the 965th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football. Still with Villa having made his second appearance for the club in 2024.
Just swapped his loan out of the club from Exeter to Chesterfield.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/sil-swinkels
M Teddy Rowe | 🏴 | #966 |
Teddy Rowe, 17, made his sole appearance in a Villa shirt as a substitute to become the 966th player to play for Villa in first-team League or Cup football. Rowe was released from the Villa Youth set up in June 2024 aged 20.
Rowe has since played for Leamington, Banbury and Worcester City and now turns out for Rugby Town.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/teddy-rowe
M Michael Tait | 🏴 | Unused Sub |
Michael Tait, 19, made his sole squad appearance for Villa. Tait was released from the Villa Youth set up in July 2021 aged 20.
Tait has since played for Tamworth, Stafford Rangers, Boldmere, Walsall Wood and now turns out for Coleshill Town.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/michael-tait
M Taylor-Jay Hart | 🏴 | Unused Sub |
Taylor-Jay Hart, 17, made his sole squad appearance for Villa. Hart was released from the Villa Youth set up in June 2024 aged 20.
Initially without a club, Hart joined Peterborough Sports and now turns out for Boldmere St Michaels 🏴.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/taylor-jay-hart
GK Oliwier Zych | 🇵🇱 | Unused Sub
Oliwer Zych, 16, made his first squad appearance for Villa. Zych is still with Villa having made 23 unused substitute appearances for the club.
Currently starring and playing European football on loan to Raków Częstochowa 🇵🇱 in the PKO BP Ekstraklasa.
D Frankie Ealing | 🏴 | Unused Sub |
Frankie Ealing, 16, makes his sole squad appearance for Villa.
Ealing was released from the Villa Youth set up in June 2024 aged 20.
Initially without a club, Hart joined Aberystwyth Town 🏴 and now turns out for Boldmere St Michaels 🏴.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/frankie-ealing
What they said:
"I knew I had it when I saw it...
"When I celebrated everything came out of me. Relief. It was quite good.
"I've never been so proud of a team - from start to finish we gave it our all. Credit to ourselves and the club.
Louie Barry
Friday, 8 January 2021
“The kids did really well, that’s good, the boys did really well. Little Jamie Vardy (Louie Barry) was a proper threat.”
Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp
Friday, 8 January 2021
“Respect to the villa yoot LG x"
Liam Gallagher
Friday, 8 January 2021
Christian Purslow explains:
"We were in the middle of a very, very nasty out-of-control coronavirus outbreak in our club. The Premier League protocols are very simple and have actually been tightened with the turn for the worst across the nation with the more contagious form of the virus and we are being tested twice a week. In the course of two sets of testing this week we went from clear, to nine, to 14 (positive tests) in a six-day period which was obviously very alarming and we will see where we are next time. There will be more tests this weekend."
"I think it is an absolute dream of an opportunity for very young players to play against the Premier League, European and World champions tonight and I am jealous of those young guys. Mark Delaney will be taking charge, obviously nobody within our first team bubble will be anywhere near Liverpool or Villa Park tonight. It's a brilliant opportunity for young players and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play against Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup. They will give their all for Villa.
"Our experience of this situation in the past two days has been a frightening scenario because we went from 100% negative on 1 January to 14 cases.
"We had a tricky day yesterday to try to find enough players who'd be able to represent the club tonight. The players were tested and the results came back this morning.
"These players have had no contact with any of the players in the first team. Many of them are so young their mums and dads will be dropping them off at Villa Park tonight.
Mark Delaney leads:
"I've been here 21 years, the way I understand the club is the way I put it to the players; You give 100 per cent for this club. You wear your heart on your sleeve for this club and you will get your rewards and fans and family will appreciate that.
"If you play at Villa Park and give your all the fans will back you all of the time. I try to instil that with the players. They're all technically gifted and they're all here for a reason but it's having that mental strength, desire and drive to be the best player you can be which fans will approve of.
"It's been a manic couple of days. The manager rang up on Thursday and said 'it looks like you might have to take the game'.
"There are excited boys in there. They're looking forward to it. This is the biggest opportunity you can have.
"At the start of every season we say you have to be ready for these opportunities. Today it's as a group which doesn't happen often.
"We're missing some of the under-23 players who were training with the first team.
"We can match them with attitude, desire and workrate and that's all I ask.
"We've just done the meeting with the gaffer. He's spoken to the players in the dressing room [on a call]."
Comments