1989–90 in English football for 19–year–old Leytonstone defender Warren Barton. 31 July 1989 – Norwich City pay Coventry City £525,000 for Welsh winger David Phillips. 3 August 1989 – Nottingham Forest pay Leeds United £650,000 for Republic of Ireland midfielder John Sheridan. 7 August 1989 – Everton sign Aston Villa defender Martin Keown for £750,000. 14 August 1989 – Adrian Heath returns to English football after less than a year in Spain when he joins Aston Villa from Espanyol for £360,000. 18 August 1989 – Property tycoon Michael Knighton agrees to buy control of Manchester United in a deal which is believed to be
1998–99 Aston Villa F.C. season 1998–99 Aston Villa F.C. season During the 1998–99 English football season, Aston Villa competed in the Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons). The season was Villa's eighth in the Premier League, and their eleventh consecutive season in the top division of English football. The early-season sale of Dwight Yorke to Manchester United seemed to rule out Villa's chances of challenging for a place in Europe, but new signings Dion Dublin and Paul Merson soon revitalised the attack and the team spent much of the first half of the season at the top of the Premiership.