Although he was due to turn 37 on 5 July, Petrov believed he could regain his best form. He had been training with Aston Villa’s youth team for several months. Shortly after recovering from his illness he weighed 120 kg; by then he was down to 90 kg, just 4 kg more than in 2012.
Petrov acknowledged that people might have doubts about him and ask a lot of questions, but said he had always believed that hard work would bring back his best shape. According to him, his physical condition was close to what it had been when he stopped playing, and the rest remained to be seen.
Aston Villa had already been relegated from the Premier League and would play in the Championship the following season. That did not matter to their former captain, who loves the club and hoped he could help his favourite team. A central midfielder, he scored 12 goals in 218 appearances for the Lions in all competitions between 2006 and 2012.
Bulgaria head coach Ivaylo Petev said in an interview that he was very happy for Stiliyan and wished him all the best. The two had known each other since their days in the youth national team and had kept in touch for 20 years. After everything Petrov had been through, Petev called the news very inspiring, said he hoped to see him return to the national team, where the doors were wide open for him, and congratulated him and his family, wishing him good luck with Aston Villa.
Aston Villa’s fans planned a new initiative in support of their former captain. In the remaining Premier League matches of the season, against Watford, Newcastle United and Arsenal, supporters would applaud their favourite player in the 19th minute.
One fan said he was shocked that nobody from the club had yet welcomed Petrov’s news, insisting that Stan should not even have to ask whether he could play for Villa again. The supporter urged the club to respond, said every fan wanted him back in the game, and admitted he would cry like a baby if he saw Stiliyan in an Aston Villa shirt again.
The road to Aston Villa
Petrov arrived in British football in the summer of 1999, when Celtic signed him from CSKA Sofia for about £2.8 million. In seven years at Celtic Park he won ten trophies: four Scottish Premier League titles, three Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups, and he was part of the side that reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final. On 30 August 2006 he joined Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa in a £6.5 million deal. He switched from the number 11 shirt to number 19 in 2007 and became club captain in the summer of 2009, after Martin Laursen retired.
For Bulgaria, Petrov won 105 caps and scored eight goals, a national record for appearances. He made his debut against Morocco on 24 December 1998, won his 100th cap against Switzerland on 26 March 2011 and was named Bulgarian Footballer of the Year in 2003.
Illness and the comeback attempt
Petrov was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on 30 March 2012, after developing a fever following Villa’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal. Villa supporters began applauding in the 19th minute of matches, in reference to his shirt number, and home and away fans repeated the tribute at every Villa game for the rest of that season. He announced his retirement on 9 May 2013 and led his family on a lap of honour on the final day of the 2012–13 campaign. He later worked on Villa’s coaching staff, first with the youth development squad alongside Gordon Cowans and, from March 2015, with the first team under Tim Sherwood.
The comeback announced in April 2016 went further than many expected. After training with the Under-21s, Petrov joined the first team on a non-contractual basis for the pre-season tour of Austria and played in an 8-0 friendly win over GAK on 9 July 2016. Manager Roberto Di Matteo did not offer him a playing contract, and the comeback ended there.
Questions people ask
When was Stiliyan Petrov diagnosed with leukaemia?
Petrov was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on 30 March 2012, while he was Aston Villa captain. He announced his retirement from football on 9 May 2013.
Why do Aston Villa fans applaud in the 19th minute?
The applause refers to Petrov’s shirt number, 19. Supporters began the tribute after his diagnosis in 2012, and home and away fans repeated it at every Villa match for the rest of that season.
Did Stiliyan Petrov play for Aston Villa again after his illness?
He trained with the Under-21s and then with the first team on a non-contractual basis, and played in an 8-0 pre-season friendly against GAK in Austria on 9 July 2016. Manager Roberto Di Matteo did not offer him a playing contract.
How many caps did Petrov win for Bulgaria?
Petrov won 105 caps and scored eight goals for Bulgaria, a national record for appearances. He was named Bulgarian Footballer of the Year in 2003.