1998–99 in English football gets the manager's job on a permanent basis. 28 October 1998 – Chelsea player-manager Gianluca Vialli scores a hat-trick in the 4–1 League Cup third round win over Aston Villa. Making his debut as a late substitute is 17-year-old defender John Terry. On the same day, striker Brian Laudrup's departure from Chelsea is announced after just four months at the club. 31 October 1998 – Ron Reeves, a 55-year-old steward, is killed outside Highfield Road stadium after being crushed by the Arsenal team coach just before a game with Coventry City. The month ends with Aston Villa still top, a
1999–2000 Aston Villa F.C. season 1999–2000 Aston Villa F.C. season During the 1999–2000 English football season, Aston Villa competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons). Aston Villa matched their previous season's solid sixth place finish. After starting the campaign brightly, a run of nine matches without a win dragged Villa down to 15th. However, after that Villa rallied to go 12 matches unbeaten, and thereafter lost only two more games all season to finish sixth. Villa also reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 43 years, but their hopes of winning the famous trophy