Aston Villa’s ‘Third Kit Curse’ – how they finally ended a miserable three-year run

In ancient Greece, breaking a mirror was deemed so disrespectful that they felt God himself would rain persistent bad luck down upon the guilty party. The Romans did, too, believing gods were able to observe people’s souls through these reflections. A broken mirror would lead to a curse, they believed, that would last for seven years, when the body would then be able to renew itself.

Villa will be relieved their own curse didn’t last quite so long. It’s unknown whether a mirror was broken in the away dressing room following their January 2020 win at Burnley, but that was the last time Villa won wearing their third kit, three years and 14 matches ago.

There it began: The Third Kit Curse.

2019-20 – Green

Aston Villa travelled to Liverpool in July 2020 in the bottom three and on a run almost as horrible as the green and black strip they wore at Anfield that afternoon, with six defeats in their previous eight games spanning either side of the pandemic-enforced break. They were spirited but mainly cannon fodder on this occasion, swept aside by Jurgen Klopp’s juggernaut who, by full-time, were 23 points clear of second-placed Manchester City. Villa’s position was more precarious, in the bottom three with five games remaining.

The positive performance at Anfield somewhat galvanised Dean Smith’s side, who went on to win two of their next four games to give themselves a chance of avoiding relegation on the final day, where they would wear their green kit again — this time away at West Ham. At kick-off, Villa were one place above the drop zone, one place above Watford on goal difference. Villa needed to better their result to stay in the top flight.

Talisman and captain Jack Grealish gave Villa the lead late on at the London Stadium, and although they were pegged back a minute later by Andriy Yarmolenko’s strike, Watford’s defeat at Arsenal kept Villa up. At this point, the only curse where Villa were concerned was that there were no fans in the stadium to celebrate their achievement.

Villa’s players during a tense final game of the 2019-20 season (Photo: Getty Images)

2020-21 – White

Thankfully, the galling green kit of 2020-21 was replaced by a slick, white number the following season. And, up until it was worn for the first time in November 2020, Dean Smith’s team were one of the sides to watch in the division. Grealish, Ollie Watkins, Ross Barkley and John McGinn were spearheading an exciting unit that had thrashed Liverpool 7-2 in between away wins at Fulham, Leicester and most impressively Arsenal.

West Ham was Villa’s next away trip and the first time they would wear their white strip. Surely it would prove immaterial and Villa would continue their good away form? Sadly not. A 2-1 defeat at the London Stadium put an end to Villa’s 100 per cent away record that season. The following weekend, Villa were away again, this time at Wolves and this time wearing their home colours. They won 1-0.

Chelsea were the next side to see Villa in white in the final game of 2020 and the spirited draw was just a part of Villa’s promising campaign up to that point. Smith’s side were fifth and dreaming of Europe.

Because of the good all-round performances, Villa fans could have been forgiven for letting their team’s third-kit form slide, even if they contrived to lose their remaining three games of the season in their white strip. They ended up leaving Turf Moor pointless in January 2021 despite taking the lead twice and dominating the game. Burnley had only scored five home goals all season but scored three against Villa. Chris Wood even scored a late winner, only his fourth goal of the campaign.

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an even later winner the next time Villa’s third kit was in action, as Villa fell to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield. Again, Villa had taken the lead but the Liverpool right-back’s late stunner halted Liverpool’s run of six consecutive home defeats.

By the time they visited Crystal Palace, the third-kit curse concern was in its genesis. Villa took the lead twice (are you seeing the theme here?) but lost 3-2 at Selhurst Park.

Alexander-Arnold scored against Aston Villa behind closed doors in 2021 (Photo: Getty)

2021-22 – Navy

New season, new third strip, because that’s how it goes these days. It was another slick Kappa design, this time in navy.

When it debuted at the Emirates Stadium, Villa’s form was in general decay. Three wins in eight saw Smith in trouble. The third kit was its usual unhelpful self, with Villa hardly laying a punch in a 3-1 defeat.

Another defeat in navy, this time at Southampton, was their fifth in a row and the club were languishing in 15th. A combined spend of £85million ($105.4m) on Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings didn’t help matters and Smith was sacked two days later.

Villa saw a new manager bounce under Steven Gerrard but this didn’t translate to their third-kit form — they lost every game in navy that season. They threw away a lead at Brentford to lose 2-1 and they lost by the same scoreline at the London Stadium three months later.

On the final day of the campaign, narrative alerts were sounding in newsrooms across the country, as Villa — now known only as ‘Steven Gerrard’s Villa’ — travelled to Manchester City, who were going for the Premier League title. Would the former Liverpool captain put a spanner in City’s works and hand Liverpool the title?

Sticking to Villa’s third-kit theme, they took the lead just before half-time and doubled it shortly after. Not only were they the party poopers at the Etihad, they were on the verge of breaking the curse. But three City goals in the last 14 minutes won them the league and condemned Villa to five defeats from five in their third strip that season.

Defeat in navy at Southampton cost Dean Smith his job (Photo: Getty Images)

2022-23 – Black

This campaign saw Villa adopt a black strip with yellow trim for their third kit, made by new manufacturer Castore.

Arsenal, again, were the first side to face Villa in all-black. Not that it mattered. Villa could have worn anything that day and still lost, such was their abject form — their fourth defeat in the opening five games.

By the time they visited Elland Road, Gerrard was under real pressure and it only intensified when Villa failed to beat 10-man Leeds. The goalless draw did them no favours, leaving them in 14th, with eight points from eight games. Gerrard was sacked two weeks later.

Villa – now in black – finally ended their third-kit curse at Southampton (Photo: Getty Images)

All of the above is why, despite Aston Villa’s quiet resurgence under Unai Emery, those from B6 may have been dreading the trip to St Mary’s when it was revealed their team would be playing in their third strip. And when James Ward-Prowse found the net in the second half with a deflected effort, it felt like it would be the same old story. Villa had dominated possession but failed to make it count.

Yet Villa were handed a lifeline when the Southampton goal was disallowed by the VAR for a foul on Jacob Ramsey in the build-up. Then, 13 minutes from time, Watkins rose highest from a free kick to score Villa’s winner in front of the travelling support.

At full-time, the players embraced passionately. The celebrations in the away end were raucous. The Third Kit Curse was finally over.

Villa have now won three successive Premier League away matches for the first time since November 2020, having only won three of their previous 15 on the road. It’s also their third straight league win against Southampton, which hasn’t happened since April 1999.

From seven games, Emery has overseen five wins, one draw and one defeat — only John Gregory has a better record as a Villa manager in that timeframe. Emery is ticking off milestone after milestone.

Villa had to look at themselves in the mirror when they fired Gerrard after things had gone stale.

And like mirrors, curses can be broken, too.

(Top photos: Getty Images)