“Overwhelmed”: Jed Steer shares his sentimental Aston Villa farewell
Jed Steer expressed his deep emotions at the overwhelming response from Aston Villa fans when the club revealed his departure from Villa Park at the end of the last season.
After serving as a goalkeeper for Aston Villa for a decade, fans had the opportunity to honor him during the final Premier League match of the season against Brighton at Villa Park. Steer held the distinction of being the club’s longest-serving player, having initially joined Villa from Norwich City in 2013.
Over the course of his time with Villa, he made 36 appearances, with 19 of those occurring during the 2018/19 season.
His contributions were pivotal, particularly during the season that saw the club achieve promotion to the Premier League, and he played a significant role in the team’s remarkable accomplishment of securing 10 consecutive league victories, which set a new club record.
Steer’s remarkable performance included saving two penalty kicks during the shootout that led to a victory over West Brom in the play-off semi-final.
When asked about the outpouring of support from fans following his departure, Steer said, “It was a response that I didn’t see coming – I was totally overwhelmed.” Steer is featured in this weekend’s Aston Villa News & Record. It was amazing to see the support, the “thank you”s, and the memories of the fun we had that season when we went up.
The 31-year-old athlete has faced multiple injury challenges throughout his career, but he has recently made a successful recovery from an Achilles injury.
He expressed, “Wearing the gloves again has been an incredible experience. There was a time when I doubted if that would ever happen. Every day, as I don my boots and gloves and step onto the pitch, I can’t help but smile.”
“Regardless of whether my training session goes well or not, it’s all about relishing the time out there, giving my all, and pushing myself to my limits. Continuous improvement and striving for excellence are my objectives in the coming years.
I eagerly await the chance to get back into the game and focus on my fitness, giving myself the best opportunity to play for as long as possible.”
