Signed for an initial £7m in the summer of 2007, Nigel Reo-Coker enjoyed a highly-successful first season after switching from the claret and blue of West Ham to the claret and blue of Villa.

He missed only two matches, both because of suspensions, and established himself as a major force in Villa's middle ground.

The former England under-21 captain also underlined his versatility by successfully adapting to a deeper role which worked well for the team, although there were occasions when he was able to make runs into the heart of the opposition defence.

His biggest disappointment was when he was sent off in the 4-1 home defeat by Manchester United - the first red card of his career - but he refused to allow that setback to compromise his wholehearted style of play.

Indeed, he displayed his leadership qualities later in the season by suggesting that Villa's players get together for a pre-match "huddle" following a poor run of results. It worked wonders - they won the next three games, scoring 15 goals in the process.