MCGINN OR OUT

John’s debt to Unai after make-or-break period

- NEIL MOXLEY

JOHN McGINN won’t ever forget the conversation with Unai Emery that opened the door for him to the Champions League.

As it’s highly unlikely he would have made it had that brief exchange never taken place.

It was late November, almost two years ago, and Emery was preparing for his first match, at Villa Park against Manchester United.

He pulled McGinn aside in the team hotel the night before. Villa’s skipper takes up the story.

McGinn said: “At the time, I had just lost my place in the team.

“The manager told me that he was advised that he would have to change the captain and move me on.