AVFC.co.uk starts its look at the week-by-week efforts of Ron Atkinson's exciting Villa side during the memorable 1992-93 season. Each week we will republish the newspaper articles from that exact time during the campaign. This week a new striker is on trial, while German opposition are defeated in pre-season action.

Paper: Birmingham Post
Headline: Villa add big Mac to menu
Author: Derek Lawrenson

In football they say you're only as good as your last match, and in his last match, Frank McAvennie scored a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest.

No wonder Villa have signed him up for a trial. And if the former Scottish international can prove that his knee problems of the past are in the past, then chairman Doug Ellis is going to be an exceedingly happy man.

For Villa need a man who can score hat-tricks (heck, who doesn't?) and manager Ron Atkinson had been looking at bank-breaking signings like Alan Smith and Dean Saunders.

When he signed Cyrille Regis, Atkinson proved that he did not regard the age of 30 as the dateline for a striker to be pensioned off. McAvennie is 32 and Atkinson said: "Frank is not under contract and he's going to spend some time with us.

"He has to get himself fit and, maybe when he can rekindle his old form.

"We plan to have him on trial for a month. If it doesn't work out there's nothing lost."

McAvennie's knee problems were chiefly responsible for him only scoring six goals last season and being given a free transfer by West Ham.

But his hat-trick feat in the last match of last season is an enticing reminder of his capabilities.

Villa continue their pre-season build-up with a two match trip to Germany today, McAvennie staying behind to work with coach Roger Spry.

The 17 strong Villa squad that have travelled face Bergmann Borsig and Dynamo Dresden on Saturday.

Paper: Birmingham Post
Report: Bergmann Borsig 0-5 Villa

Ray Houghton makes his Aston Villa debut in Germany today when he lines up with his new team-mates against Dynamo Dresden.

He missed the opening match of the tour in which Matthias Breitkreutz scored twice against his old club Bergmann Borsig in a 5-0 win.

However, the real star was Liberian trialist Joe Nagbe who scored one goal and produced some telling crosses.

Paper: Birmingham Post
Report: Dyanamo Dresden 1-3 Villa

Aston Villa wound up their short German tour with a 3-1 victory over Bundesliga side Dynamo Dresden that was not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.

Goals by Tony Daley and Dalian Atkinson immediately either side of half-time added to Paul McGrath's opener, although Dresden caused a few problems before their consolation goal from Rath on the hour.

Villa are next in action at Peterborough on Tuesday night.

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