By Rob Bishop

His previous two "debuts" had been bittersweet occasions, but Marc Albrighton will always remember his first Barclays Premier League starting appearance with both pleasure and pride.

The 20-year-year-old's dazzling performance in the 3-0 opening demolition of West Ham made him the toast of Villa Park, particularly as he was involved in all three goals.

But after supporters had serenaded him with "Super, super Marc" he couldn't help reflecting on two other breakthrough games which didn't turn out so well.

One was his first team debut in Moscow in February last year, when a 2-0 defeat to CSKA sent Villa out of the UEFA Cup; the other was another 2-0 setback when he made his league debut as a substitute for Habib Beye against Wigan on the opening day of last season.

Twelve months on, it was a dramatically different story against the Hammers.

"Just to play was amazing," says the boy who was born in Sutton Coldfield and grew up in Tamworth. "To have a hand in the goals was a brilliant experience. It couldn't have gone any better.

"I was a bit nervous because I didn't know what it would be like to start a Premier League game. But once I got out there and had a couple of early touches, I felt good.

"We soon got the crowd on our side, which was great. To have fans singing your name is the stuff that dreams are made of. I wasn't expecting that.

"I'd had mixed emotions when I played against CSKA and Wigan but this time it turned out brilliantly."

Along with Scottish midfielder Barry Bannan - who had his first, brief taste of Premier League football against the Hammers - Albrighton was included in the starting line-up for Villa's round of 32 UEFA Cup-tie against CSKA in Moscow's 50,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium the season before last.

"Until then I'd just travelled with the first team a couple of times," he recalls.

"So when I saw my name on the squad list I was over the moon. To actually start the game was pretty special, particularly in a stadium like that.

"Even though it wasn't full, it was still an intimidating place. 

"We got beat and I was gutted to go out of the competition, but I was obviously delighted to have played.

"After the match Curtis Davies told me I'd shown the manager what I could do, and I don't think either me or Barry Bannan looked out of place.

"To look back and say I made my debut in Moscow is something I will be able tell the kids about!

"It was a similar story at the start of last season. Everyone was buzzing, so to slip up against Wigan was disappointing.

"But it was great to make my league debut. I would have liked to push on from there but it wasn't to be. I ended up having to settle for a couple of cameo appearances."

One of those cameos came at the start, rather than towards the end of a game - and it ended in tears.

Albrighton brilliantly set up a sixth-minute goal for Nathan Delfouneso in a fourth round FA Cup-tie against Brighton in January but injured his ankle as he fell - and only made one more senior appearance all season.

"I really looked forward to the Brighton game because I felt I would be able to hold my own against lower league opposition.

"It started well when I set up Nathan's goal but I landed on my ankle and it twisted underneath me.

"I was absolutely devastated. I just wanted to go home and go to bed.

"But a few of the lads told me to keep my head up, get fit again and get back to performing how I had been.

"When an established first team player and you're injured, you know someone will always take a gamble on you.

"But when you're a young lad, you know you might not get another chance and that could be your career over.

"Luckily I've had another chance and I intend to take advantage. I want to make up for lost time."

Albrighton has been part of the Villa family since he was eight, progressing through the various age levels before making an impact for the Academy teams - he was a key member of the side who reached the 2008 FA Youth Cup semi-finals - and the reserves.

He has always been a keen supporter, too, modelling himself on some of the club's big names.

"When I was 10 or 11 I enjoyed watching Benito Carbone, David Ginola and Dion Dublin," he says.

"Carbone and Ginola were really creative players and fans turned up to watch players like that.

"They were exciting and they could get the crowd going. That's what I want to do. We got the crowd going with our attacking football against West Ham and you could sense how excited they were.

"When I was a young lad in the stands, I know how it felt to watch the team attacking, so I can relate to it - and it looked like the fans enjoyed the opening game as much as we did."