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BIRMINGHAM. — Dean Smith has already experienced a level of pain from the coronavirus pandemic that is far greater than anything that might happen to his Aston Villa over the remainder of the season.
Dean and his men, who include Zimbabwean midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, host Sheffield United in the first English Premiership match in 100 days at Villa Park at 7pm tonight.
On May 27, the club announced that Smith’s father, Ron, had died aged 79 after contracting Covid-19. Mr Smith, a Villa fan and former club steward, was diagnosed with dementia six years ago and had been living in a care home.
”He was in the care home when he contracted coronavirus but he was asymptomatic and then three days later we had a call that he had been taken to hospital by paramedics,” said the Aston Villa manager.
”It was tough for my mum because she couldn’t see him for 11 weeks. But he ended up coming out to a nursing home and we were allowed to go and see him in our full PPE at the moment he passed.
”The timing is never good to lose a parent but he is probably in a better place now because he hadn’t been well for a long time so it was one of those things you have to deal with.” — Mailonline.
Online Reporter