Andreas Weimann

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Andreas Weimann has enjoyed a good week off the field - winning the Supporters' Young Player of the Year award.

It will provide the Austrian hotshot with a confidence boost going into the clash against Chelsea.

WHAT HE SAID

All the young lads have played together for four or five years now and we have come through together and also we are all very good friends. It helps that we all get on so well and we virtually spend most of the day together a lot of the time.

When I first came to Villa, Gabby was playing for the first team and I saw him and said that I wanted to be there. I wanted to be like him. Now I am playing alongside him.

WHAT OTHERS SAID

Chris Herd: He's got a lot to bring - goals, link-up play. He's only young as well so he's going to be a great player here.

Darren Bent: Andi is one of the best natural finishers I have seen for a long, long time. When he's in training he just never seems to miss the target. He's always on the scoresheet.

MINI PROFILE

Andreas Weimann made a rapid rise to stardom for Villa in the 2011-12 season - and also produced two of the club's most memorable moments.

The Austrian striker announced his arrival as a senior star with a dramatic last-gasp winner against Fulham in March after coming on as a substitute.

And his second goal, a long-range rocket against Stoke City, earned him the Goal of the Season award.

It was one of two gongs Weimann landed at the club's end-of-season ceremony, having also been named Young Player of the Year.

The Vienna-born hotshot began the season on the fringes of Villa's first team and he produced an impressive cameo in the Carling Cup victory over Hereford United in August 2011.

By the end of the campaign, it became virtually impossible for manager at the time Alex McLeish to leave out Weimann.

Following his appearance against Hereford, the Austria U21 forward moved to Watford on loan for the second time in his career.

It was a short-lived stay at Vicarage Road as Weimann was quickly recalled because of a striker shortage at Villa.

He went on to appear as a substitute in the top-flight draw against Queens Park Rangers and defeats to Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League and League Cup.

A rampant spell in front of goal for the reserves in January and February showed Weimann was ready to be unleashed on the Barclays Premier League stage.

He managed nine goals in five games for the second string at the turn of the year including brilliant hat-tricks in victories over West Bromwich Albion and Wolves.

The biggest turning point in Weimann's career came on Saturday March 10, 2012.

Villa had not won a home game for fourth months and were heading for another stalemate against Fulham when McLeish turned to the young Austrian.

In the dying seconds, Mark Schwarzer spilled Gary Gardner's long-range effort and Weimann displayed his predatory instincts to force home the rebound in front of the Holte End and sent he claret and blue faithful into raptures.

A few weeks later he made his first top-flight start in the 4-2 defeat against Chelsea, while in March his superb solo effort against Stoke brought him a second senior goal.

A knee injury suffered in the penultimate game against Tottenham ended Weimann's season early but it was undoubtedly a campaign to remember for the academy graduate.

Long-time mentor Kevin MacDonald gave Weimann his first taste of senior football during a spell as caretaker boss at the beginning of 2010-11.

MacDonald introduced Weimann as a late substitute in the opening day victory over West Ham United.

In the same week, Weimann came off the bench against his boyhood club Rapid Vienna in a Europa League play-off but his dream homecoming in the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium was cut short by injury.

He marked his comeback in a claret and blue jersey by scoring twice for the reserves in an astonishing 10-1 triumph over Arsenal at Hinckley in January 2011.

The talented striker spent the remainder of the season on loan at Watford, scoring four times in 19 matches for the Championship side.

Villa fans first became aware of Weimann's potential in the pre-season of 2009-10.

As well as scoring in the first friendly of the campaign against Peterborough, he was handed a late call-up to the squad for the Peace Cup final as Villa toppled Juventus to lift the trophy.

His nine goals in Villa's Barclays Premier Reserve League South title-winning campaign that season earned him an improved contract.

In summer 2010, Weimann starred alongside Barry Bannan, Ciaran Clark and Marc Albrighton as Villa triumphed at the Hong Kong International Soccer Sevens.

INTERESTING FACT

Andreas Weimann's mum Sabine was a national record holder at the hurdles.