Aston Villa Zimbabwean player Marvellous Nakamba’s father Antony Nakamba has expressed his joy over his son’s team missing the relegation zone yesterday.

Nakamba’s father who was also a footballer during his prime said :

The atmosphere in the house was tense one could touch it.

It was even more emotional when once in a while the cameras would switch to the players on the substitutes’ bench, who included my son. I could only imagine what was going through his mind.

At least we were better off because we were also aware of other results elsewhere that had a bearing on Aston Villa’s fate.

We, however, were not happy with the Bournemouth and Everton scoreline because it meant a goal by West Ham would have seen Villa relegated if they didn’t level matters.
After the final whistle, we knew it was done and everyone was over the moon.

We waited for Marve to call because we knew he was also eager to talk to us just like we were. After a while, he called.

He was just delirious, he spoke to everyone before me and him engaged in a very long father to son talk.

I must confess that at one time those thoughts were with us, even when I spoke to my son, I could sense a feeling of dejection, which told me that perhaps he too was having those fears, but what struck me was that he assured me that they will fight like lions to stay up.

A ray of hope started coming to me with that draw against Everton and they beat Arsenal I knew that Aston Villa will not be relegated, but eish, I am so happy man. I know every other Zimbabwean out there is happy too.

Aston Villa drew with West Ham but their point was enough to lift them out of the relegation zone. Nakamba became a player for Aston Villa a year ago-Chronicle