Aston Villa v Cardiff City: Enckelman's braced for fans' 'welcome'
Sep 23 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
PETER Enckelman is braced for a potential first playing return to Villa Park tonight admitting he would probably get a warmer welcome at St Andrew’s.
The Cardiff goalkeeper will forever be known for his calamitous mistake during Villa’s humiliating derby defeat to Blues more than seven years ago.
Enckelman retains a soft spot for Villa even though he is still haunted by his own-goal at St Andrew’s when Olof Mellberg’s throw-in rolled in off his studs.
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“Villa brought me over here and gave me my chance,” said Enckelman.
“I had a good few years there and always enjoyed it. It might be the first time I play against them – I’ve been on the bench.
“Do people still remember that mistake? I don’t think I need to answer that one. It’s still on YouTube so no-one’s ever going to forget it are they?
“I can laugh at it now but I’ll probably get a better reception at Birmingham than at Villa. But it’s one of those things in football, you just have to smile.
“I’m sure some are still upset about it but it was just one incident and I’ve played for those Villa fans for a good few years and I had a good reception off most of them and hopefully it will be the same again.”
Another Villa old boy, Peter Whittingham, has no regrets about quitting Martin O’Neill’s revolution despite the emphasis on home-grown talent.
The left-winger came through the Bodymoor Heath ranks but was deemed surplus to requirements by O’Neill and joined Cardiff in January 2007.
“I played more than 50 games in the Premier League so I don’t think you can say there was any regrets on my part that I didn’t stay longer,” said Whittingham.
“I just felt things had run their course and I had to get out.”
