Only the Real Thing

Aston Villa and The Coca Cola Cup 1993–1996

Only the Real Thing is the story of how Aston Villa adapted and thrived in the changing world of early 1990s English football. The book dissects the cup-winning campaigns of 1994 and 1996 with a deep dive into the matches, players and management teams, while telling a wider story of the transitionary shift towards modern football.

Relive the glory years of Aston Villa's last two major trophy triumphs with this celebration of the Coca-Cola Cup wins of 1994 and 1996.

This engrossing book:

• Takes a deep dive into the 1993/94 Coca-Cola Cup campaign and victory achieved under Ron Atkinson, followed by a second win in 1995/96 under Brian Little
• Explores the style of both managers and the culture they instilled and developed
• Examines the players and squads and how they changed in the 1993–96 period while telling a wider story of the transitionary shift towards modern football
• Reveals what the cup campaigns tell us about Aston Villa’s transition into the new Premier League world
• Places the cup wins in a wider context to help the reader to understand Villa’s status and progress since that time

Essential reading for all Aston Villa fans, this is an inspirational tale of a pivotal moment in the club’s modern history.

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