O'Neill's Villa is a standout

There's a growing feeling at Villa Park that the club is starting to fulfil its potential. Stuart Jamesreports

There is a banner draped across the North Stand at Villa Park recalling the late Brian Moore's commentary as he described the build-up to Peter Withe's winning goal in the 1982 European Cup final. The words provide a reminder of the club's finest achievement but it is the future, not the past, that is stimulating Aston Villa fans. Manchester United visit in the FA Cup this evening and there would be no greater measure of their team's progress than a win over Alex Ferguson's side.

Villa have not beaten United in 20 matches, a sequence stretching back to 1999 when Ferguson fielded a weakened team in the League Cup. It is not the sort of statistic to inspire confidence but belief is alive in Villa supporters these days.

Promise has often failed to deliver success at the club, most recently during John Gregory's reign, but with Martin O'Neill moulding an exhilarating side there is genuine hope that the club can be a force again.

"There was always the feeling it was going to go wrong in the past," said Dave Woodhall, editor of the Villa fanzine Heroes and Villains. "I remember John Gregory saying when Villa were near the top a few years ago, 'People keep saying, when is it going to go wrong - why do they think that?' O'Neill has cracked that. There's finally a feeling that Villa are going to fulfil their potential and there's no reason why we can't be a regular fixture in the top six."

Rewards for the resurgence can be found on and off the pitch. The last England squad included three Villa players and supporters have been quick to respond to the club's renaissance. They have sold more replica shirts this season than before, while average attendances of more than 40,000, the fourth highest in the club's history, have helped to oil the financial wheels.

"I think there is a clear vision coming out from the top," said Richard FitzGerald, Villa's chief executive. "The plan is to get the team competing at the top end of the Premier League. But you have got to build the club. We are building it as fast as we can, whether that's the training ground, the Holte hotel or the new commercial programme we are putting in place. You can't run too fast but the league position would tell you we're moving in the right direction."

FitzGerald credits O'Neill and Randy Lerner, Villa's owner, with "creating hope". That was something sorely missing during the latter years of Doug Ellis's reign, when the fans became frustrated and disillusioned.

The England manager had little cause to turn up at Villa Park in those days but when Fabio Capello arrives in the Midlands this evening he will be casting his eye over Scott Carson, Gareth Barry, Ashley Young and, in particular, Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The transformation is testament to O'Neill, even if he is cautious about the future. "The players have played brilliantly," said Villa's manager. "But things can change, so I'm loth to turn around and say that this is the dawning of a new era. It's very pleasing. Pleasing to see the crowd are getting excited and pleasing to see that the players are playing with a lot of freedom and expression in their game. From this time last year, I think we're miles better."

The key for O'Neill is maintaining that improvement. He will need to strengthen the smallest playing squad in the top flight, particularly if European football is back on the agenda next season, but this is a Villa side that promises to get better with time. Agbonlahor, Young, Nigel Reo-Coker, Curtis Davies and Carson - who is expected to agree a permanent move from Liverpool - are all aged 23 or under while Barry will only turn 27 next month.

The England midfielder admits he is excited about Villa's development. "Although last season people could say it was a bit average, we made a few steps forward on and off the pitch," said Barry. "The supporters started coming back and this season the attendances are the highest for a long time. On the pitch we went from 16th in 2006 to 11th and now we are seventh and being talked about for Europe, so they're certainly the strides forward we wanted to be making."

Similar progress is being made in other areas. FitzGerald points out that a national fans' survey revealed Villa "have gone from being one of the worst communicators to one of the best". The club has also worked hard to re-establish links with the past, with three of the players from the 1957 FA Cup-winning team, which defeated United 2-1 in the final, being paraded before the kick-off at Villa Park. The same result tonight will reinforce the belief that Aston Villa are back.