Gabriel Agbonlahor is a dyed in the wool Aston Villa fan after playing almost his entire football career at the Midlands club – and he has now revealed the one club he would never allow his children to represent.
The 37-year-old came through the youth team ranks at the Villa Park side and signed his first professional contract with the club in 2005.
Later that year, Agbonlahor went out on loan to Watford and then Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, playing 10 times across the spells with the two clubs but did not find the back of the net with either side.
Upon his return to the Villains, Agbonlahor ended up playing for the club for the rest of his professional career.
The striker would go on to score 86 goals in 391 appearances for his hometown club, becoming the club’s record Premier League goalscorer in that time, and departed in the summer of 2018 when his contract was not renewed.
Agbonlahor hung up his boots in March 2019 aged 32, and he also made three appearances for England between 2008 and 2009.
Since his retirement from professional football, Agbonlahor has become a broadcaster and pundit, most notably with the radio station talkSPORT on which he appears regularly to contribute.
Agbonlahor’s retirement age might be deemed as young nowadays for a professional footballer, given that it is not uncommon for players to continue until their mid to late thirties to maximise their earnings from the game.
The striker has recalled conversations he had with a friend before he hung up his boots and the scenario of potentially joining Villa’s fierce local rivals Birmingham City was mentioned – but Agbonlahor was unequivocal with his response.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “When I was going to retire, I remember speaking to my friend.
“He asked, would you go to Birmingham City if they offered you 100 grand a week? And he was being deadly serious.
“I was like, what are you talking about? Not a prayer!
“And he said, you’re stupid. We had a full-on argument on the phone. I said what are you talking about? I’ll fall out with you.
“It’s not an option – not for 100 grand a week, 200 grand a week. Money’s not everything.”
The radio discussion then moved on to the prospect of children playing for rival clubs, following a Celtic fan who called in to say his son had been signed by Old Firm rivals Rangers.
But Agbonlahor made it clear would never entertain the prospect of his children ever being signed by the Blues.
He said: “I’d put the phone down.
“If Birmingham City phoned me and said I want to sign one of your kids, I’d say no thanks. Not a prayer!”
So if any scouts from the St Andrews club in future see potential in Agbonlahor’s offspring, at least they need not waste their time in approaching him for an answer.
Featured Image Credit: Getty/talkSPORT/Screengrab
Topics: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Aston Villa, Birmingham City