Supporters backing Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa revolution

Dec 1 2007 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O'Neill has paid tribute to the Villa's supporters who have packed out Villa Park this season - and has promised them some form of pay-back against Arsenal tonight (5.15pm).

Villa's average gates are the fourth highest in the club's history at 40,000.

That figure dwarfs anything at Villa since the mid 50s. Even in the heady days of League and European Cup success their average attendance was only 33,641 in 1980/81, 26,764 a season later and 23,748 in 1982/83 when they won the Super Cup and reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup.

The 36,937 average who saw Villa go off like a train under John Gregory in 1998/99 before wilting after a record unbeaten start has been the closest thing to this season.

And that support is not lost on O'Neill who should be

backed by another near 42,600 sell-out against Arsenal tonight, despite the game being on TV.

He said: "The crowds are coming out, they want to support us, and there's really no-one more appreciative of that than myself.

"It's terrific they want to come and back the team. It's hard to find that type of money to spend and it's up to us over the course of this season and hopefully the next couple of seasons to make that really worthwhile."

O'Neill cannot guarantee a result against Arsenal, but he can promise an approach from his players to one of the glamour fixtures of the season.

"I honestly wish we could promise them a performance every game. But we can promise them an attitude to giving a performance.

"That's the very least you should demand - effort should be a by-product because it's the players' job."