Danks, lad.

What a day, what a performance.

Although it took many far too long to realise, and some bizarrely still don't, today was proof positive that the squad, perhaps bar one man, hated life under the former manager.

This wasn't a new manager bounce.

This was a point being made.

From the very first second of the match this was about vindication for individuals and the team.

Happily the problem is gone, and so is the corrosive influence, but the distaste is still there.

When someone describes the previous incumbent as "a complete tw*t" (not spelt with an i) you know that this wasn't a guy to be afforded any slack. That he was is a shame that was always going to hurt Villa and Villa alone in the long run.

The squad, some of whom a seemingly confused section of the fan base have turned on, looked a totally different proposition today.

But the truth is that although Aaron Danks has said that a squad of Villa's ability had threatened to do this for a while, it would never have happened under the previous regime.

Simple instructions, attacking intent, playing players to their strength, playing with width and freedom. This was all total anethema to the former manager.

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What the past can teach us

Caretaker managers have had a massive impact before Aaron Danks mind you.

Go back to (the less than celebrated) Kevin MacDonald in 2010-11 and you may recall that he oversaw a 3-0 victory over West Ham on the opening day of the season in his first game as caretaker manager.

But MacDonald took over a strong team, one that had finished 6th for the third successive season in 2009-10, who had reached both a cup final and a semi final, and who were only managerless due to a fit of pique from former boss Martin O'Neill on the eve of the campaign.

Lest it be forgotten however, just days later MacDonald led Villa to one of their worst defeats in the Premier League at St James' Park.

Fast forward 12 years and Aaron Danks in one game has, in complete contrast, transformed a team in the doldrums, who were previously galloping towards the relegation places, and delivered a far finer and far more comprehensive win than anyone expected was possible.

That St James' Park once again is the next destination on Villa's calendar will hopefully be where any parallels with MacDonald end.

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Party like it's 1995

The team Danks put together was so obvious when seen that it was simply bewildering that it hadn't been implemented before. Was it tested on the training ground between Dendoncker's arrival and the former manager's dismissal or was this a bolt from the blue under an attack minded caretaker boss?

Whatever, just like in 1994-95, when Brian Little stumbled on personnel, tactics and a style that transformed Villa, so perhaps too Danks has created a newly minted blueprint.

We are without doubt getting far too far ahead of ourselves but we haven't felt this positive since we ripped Everton apart thirteen months ago. That too was to prove a false dawn.

One thing is for sure though. The issue was never the quality in the squad, and so it was proved beyond any doubt today.

UTV