The man with a foot in Wolves and Aston Villa camps - and cherished FA Cup memories
Of the many players who have represented both Wolves and Aston Villa, striker Andi Weimann is probably more Claret and Blue than Gold and Black!
But he relished his short stay with Wolves which included, as a timely reminder, a starring role in an FA Cup win against Liverpool. Paul Berry catches up with the Austrian frontman.
Friday night under the lights at a crackling Molineux. Midlands’ rivals Wolves and Aston Villa going toe-to-toe in front of a capacity crowd. An atmosphere not for the faint-hearted.
Just the sort of occasion where striker Andi Weimann, formerly of both Wolves and Villa, excelled.
He might never have been the loudest or most vociferous presence in the dressing room or on the pitch at Molineux or Villa Park.
But the affable Austrian’s strong and determined demeanour, and ice-cool temperament, makes for a deadly combination when it comes to the big occasions.
With Villa, his tally of 24 goals included against Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool twice, and a late winner in a 3-2 victory against eventual Premier League champions Manchester City.
And then at Wolves? A four month loan spell over the second half of the 2016/17 campaign began with a substitute appearance at Norwich, and then a first start, in the FA Cup, against Liverpool at Anfield.
Wolves, then occupying 18th place in the Championship, emerged on the right side of a 2-1 win. And Weimann scored again.
With Wolves ready to welcome Liverpool to Molineux again in both league and FA Cup in quick succession, that tie, nine years ago, seems a very good place to start the conversation.
Under Paul Lambert, a memorable afternoon saw Wolves spring a surprise to make their way through to the Fifth Round, with Weimann’s second goal, after Richard Stearman’s early header, ultimately proving decisive given Divock Origi’s late consolation.
“That goal and that day, those are memories you never forget,” Weimann tells the Express & Star.
“I still remember that away end being full, so many Wolves fans, and then we got the early goal and I managed to add a second.
“Helder Costa broke away with the ball and I was with him and waiting for the pass – I even put my arm up calling for it at one point!
“I thought he had maybe delayed it too much but he actually played the perfect pass.
“The keeper came out and I managed to take it around him and put it in the net.
“Liverpool pulled a goal back late on by which time I had come off, but we hung on for the win and there were some great scenes in front of all those fans at full time.”
For Weimann, being reunited even temporarily with Lambert gave him a timely boost and valuable game time after the two had first linked up to plenty of success at Villa.
Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald and then Alex McLeish had previously given Weimann first team action at Villa Park, after he first arrived in Birmingham as a 15-year-old.
Life has pretty much come full circle for Weimann who has just returned on loan from Derby to Rapid Vienna, where he had played as a youngster before heading over to England.
“It was during a winter break in Austria that I came over for a trial, after which I returned in the July and signed as a first year scholar,” he recalls of the launchpad to his career.
“I loved it, but at the same time I probably never thought it would happen.
“At maybe 13 or 14, I couldn’t have predicted I would be able to get over to England, and then I ended up staying for 19 years!
“From the moment I first came over in the academy and then the reserve team, I never looked back.
