Debuts don't come much better than the one Zat Knight made for Villa against Chelsea on the first weekend of September.

Signed from Fulham a few days earlier, the towering centre-back had the satisfaction of shutting out Chelsea's forwards - and also heading the opening goal as Villa inflicted the first league defeat since January on Jose Mourinho's aristocrats.

It certainly wasn't a bad start for someone who had supported the club since he was a boy!

He had trials with the club as a schoolboy but nothing came of and after playing for local side Rushall Olympic he was snapped up by Fulham in 1999.

He gradually established himself in the Cottagers' senior side and was arguably their most consistent player last season. He also took over as captain when Luis Boa Morte was ruled out by injury.

He played twice for England in 2005, against the United States and Colombia.