By Graham Hill
JACK Grealish has revealed the conversation that helped Tammy Abraham stay at Aston Villa in January.
The on-loan Chelsea striker was hotly tipped to join Wolves with Molineux boss Nuno keen to improve his side’s fire power.
But Abraham denied to stay put – and said Grealish was one of the people who helped him make that decision.
The Villa skipper was out injured at the time – and the thought of captaining the side was still a dream.
Villa were slumping and their dream of automatic promoting was fading fast.
But he predicted things would be different when he was fit again – and he was right.
Abraham stayed and his total of 26 goals for the season has helped Villa into the Play-offs.
Now they are one game away from a return to the Premier League if they can beat Derby County at Wembley.
Grealish told reporters: “When Tammy was injured, we were in the gym together.
“I remember the manager calling me and saying: ‘I know you and Tammy are close, have a word with him’.
“I said: ‘Listen to your Uncle Jack! When I’m back it’ll all change’.
“But I didn’t know if it would. I was talking rubbish!”
Grealish’s comeback began with a 4-0 win over Derby County and that was the beginning of a record-breaking 10-game run that revived Villa’s promotion bid.
He added: “I didn’t know it would change. But luckily, I came back and it’s turned out all right.”
