Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor scored 86 times in 402 appearances, playing his entire career in claret and blue. He remains Villa's record Premier League goalscorer with 73 goals and 47 assists in 322 appearances. After retiring in March 2019 at age 32, he now works as a media pundit, notably on talkSPORT. In an exclusive interview with BirminghamLive's Claret & Blue podcast, Agbonlahor shares a candid account of his career.
Early Life and Strict Upbringing
Growing up in Stockland Green, Agbonlahor lived in a cramped three-bed home with his three siblings. His strict Nigerian father, Samson, forbade him from hanging out on street corners. 'At school I was very well behaved out of fear from my dad,' Agbonlahor said. 'We weren't allowed to behave badly. Even after school, kids played football on the street, but we were never allowed. It had to be in the back garden or the park.' His father's motto was: 'What you do in your younger years you'll reap when you're older.' Despite the restrictions, Agbonlahor and his brothers played football constantly, often from morning until night during school holidays, breaking fences in the process.
First Taste of Football
Agbonlahor's first club was Great Barr Falcons in Kingstanding. After his first training session, he was hooked. 'I just remember loving football from a young age. It was everything to me,' he said. His speed made him stand out, and by age 12-13, he was scouted playing for Erdington & Saltley district. He attended St Edmund Campion School and eventually earned a trial with Aston Villa.
Trial and Decision
Agbonlahor scored a hat-trick in a trial game for Villa's youth team against Crewe Alexandra. However, he was also playing for Wolves' youth team. 'A lot of people don't know this, but at the same time, I was scouted for Wolves and was playing for them,' he revealed. 'In the end, I had to choose between athletics, Wolves, and Villa. Because I was a Villa fan, it was a no-brainer.'
Loan Spells and Early Struggles
Despite scoring for fun at academy level, Agbonlahor doubted his first-team chances. Loans at Watford and Sheffield Wednesday were disastrous. 'I hated it and was homesick like you wouldn't believe,' he said. 'I went to Sheffield Wednesday and it was the same. I didn't even score when I went out on loan and I came back hating football.'
First-Team Breakthrough
Agbonlahor's big break came when all first-team strikers were injured before a match against Everton. Manager David O'Leary asked the reserve manager for the next best thing, and it was Agbonlahor. He made his debut start and scored, forcing O'Leary's hand. 'Had I not scored, I'd have been back in the reserves and not had the career I had,' he admitted.
Martin O'Neill Era
When Martin O'Neill took over, Agbonlahor's career soared. 'He was addicted to me,' Agbonlahor said. 'He just loved youth and pace.' O'Neill became a father figure, and Agbonlahor thrived, becoming Villa's top scorer. He also enjoyed the party lifestyle, frequenting clubs like Sobar, Bambu, and Bushwackers. 'I'm not going to lie, once the game was finished and I saw my family, I was out,' he said. 'As long as we won or drew, I was there.'
Pranks and Banter
Agbonlahor and Ashley Young were known as teacher's pets who got away with everything. They loved winding up teammates like Nigel Reo-Coker and Charles N'Zogbia. One prank involved a yellow jersey for the worst player, which they often gave to those who would bite. 'The worst one was Thomas Sorenson, he was a biter,' Agbonlahor recalled. Another prank saw Shay Given hide a piece of raw fish in Fabian Delph's car for four days, leaving Delph furious.
Downfall and Regrets
After O'Neill left, Agbonlahor struggled under new managers. He bulked up to adapt but lost some pace. During Villa's relegation season in 2016, his personal life was splashed across tabloids, leading to depression. He gained weight and made poor decisions, including a trip to Dubai during a relegation battle and a party with balloons in London after relegation. 'I'll regret that for the rest of my life,' he said. 'But when you're depressed and going through a lot off the field, everyone deals with it differently.'
Final Years and Retirement
Agbonlahor stayed with Villa in the Championship, scoring a winner against Birmingham City in 2017. However, his body was failing him. 'I knew my legs weren't the same,' he said. 'My body said this is enough.' He wasn't offered a new deal and retired in 2019. Looking back, he says, 'Villa shouldn't have given me a new deal. I didn't deserve one.' Despite the mistakes, he hopes fans remember him as a normal lad from Stockland Green who made a career in football.
