For the first time in several years, English club Aston Villa are poised to take the league title. One of the biggest reasons for the team's move to the top of the Premiership tables this year has been the addition of forward Dion Dublin. Early in the season Villa manager John Gregory was criticised for selling star striker Dwight Yorke to rivals Manchester United. It proved to be a great move for the Birmingham club, however, as Gregory turned around and bought the 29-year-old Dublin, who proceeded to score twice in his Villa Park debut. He added a hat trick in his next game, a 4-1 win over Southampton that gave his new club a three-point lead over Manchester United at the top of the Premier League. As of mid-January, Dublin was tied with Liverpool's Michael Owen for the league lead in goals with 12.

Dublin has made his name as a forward but is equally capable of playing at centre back. When asked to play at that position due to injuries on his team he performed brilliantly and scored even more- mainly with his head from set pieces. It is that versatility, a never-say-die attitude and an eye for goal that has earned Dublin a reputation as one of the Premiership's finest.

After beginning his career as a youth player at Norwich, Dublin joined Cambridge United on a free transfer in 1988. He first hit the headlines when he scored two goals in a 4-0 upset of Sheffield Wednesday in 1991. He scored 16 goals that season and fifteen the next, drawing the attention of Premiership giants Manchester United. After the '91-'92 season, during which he helped Cambridge United earn promotion from the Third Division, he moved to Man United for £1 million.

After the move, Dublin was finally in a position where his talents could reach their full potential. It wasn't to be, however, as his Old Trafford career was halted early in its first season when he broke his leg in September against Crystal Palace. He recovered from the injury but failed to hold down a regular first-team place during two seasons at Man United, scoring just twice in only 12 league games. After the 1993-94 season, Dublin was sold to Coventry City for £2 million. There he seemed to find his place and finally became a true star. Named club captain, he scored 63 league goals and was called on to represent his country for the first time in February of 1998.

Coventry considered selling Dublin to Blackburn in October 1998 but after talking with officials from that club he turned down the move as well as a similar inquiry from Leeds United. Finally, after much negotiation, Coventry agreed to sell him to Villa for £5.75m on November 5th 1998. Dublin then signed a contract that will keep him at Villa Park through the 2003-04 season, essentially the rest of his career.

On the international level, Dublin played for England in World Cup warmups last spring against Chile, Morocco and Belgium but just missed making the squad for the World Cup in France. It was hard for England manager Glen Hoddle to ignore Dublin's spectacular form after moving to Villa, however, so he gave him the start in last November's friendly against the Czech Republic. He played well in that game and may get called on again during England's Euro 2000 qualification rounds.

Hopefully for Aston Villa, Dublin's recent brilliance is a sign of many great things to come and perhaps their first ever Premier League title. In the early 1980s, Villa was one the top teams in all of Europe. They won the English First Division in 1981 and then achieved their greatest honor in 1982 by taking the European Cup. In 1993 they had a great season but finished runners-up in the Premier League. If Dion Dublin keeps playing the way he has been, however, the team may soon have to make more room in their trophy case.