Aston Villa fans blown away by footage as West Brom announce new signing
West Brom announced the signing of Max O’Leary on Thursday afternoon and footage of one of his previous performances is sparking discussion.
O’Leary comes in from Bristol City on a short-term deal until the end of the season, to help Eric Ramsay’s side avoid relegation to League One.
Both Josh Griffiths and Joe Wildsmith have been poor for West Brom in recent months, so it is no surprise that the Baggies have dipped into the transfer market to address their goalkeeping woes.
Ramsay’s side face Derby County at Pride Park on Friday evening, and O’Leary has been registered in time for the game, so he is available for selection.
Max O’Leary shows his quality against Aston Villa
O’Leary joined Bristol City at the age of 10, coming through their academy and eventually making his way to the senior team.
The Republic of Ireland international made 155 league appearances before his exit, across six and a half seasons in and around the first team.
His most memorable performance for the Robins came back in 2019, during a 2-1 defeat away to Aston Villa.
Tammy Abraham and Conor Hourihane fired the hosts into a two-goal lead, with Famara Diedhiou grabbing a consolation late on.
However, O’Leary was on stunning form, making save after save and preventing the Midlands outfit from securing a big win.
After his move to West Brom was confirmed, one Bristol City fan reposted a video of O’Leary’s highlights from that day.
The supporter captioned the post: “I’m sad to see O’Leary go, a great guy and local lad!
“The maddest shot stopper, I’ll never forget his ridiculous performance at Villa away, back in 2019.”
- Read More: Horrific West Brom stats show Shilen Patel and Andrew Nestor need a lot more heat on them
Aston Villa fans still remember Max O’Leary masterclass
O’Leary’s display is very well remembered by Villa fans, such was the level on show.
The 29-year-old made a ridiculous eight saves, including some extraordinary close-range stops.
One Villa fan admitted that O’Leary was “incredible that day”, while another described it as one of the best solo performances he’d ever seen from a goalkeeper.
Other Villa supporters were in full agreement, with one believing their side would’ve won by five or six goals if it weren’t for O’Leary.
West Brom fans will hope that O’Leary can replicate that level of performance for their side, as they look to pull away from the Championship relegation zone.
Stay ahead of the action — subscribe to West Brom News on Substack for more exclusive insights and match-day analysis.