Steve Bruce signed John McGinn and he is inspiring Aston Villa to a promotion bid

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Aston Villa have launched a late bid for promotion with their recent form lifting them into the play-off zone. Under the guidance of Dean Smith, Aston Villa now sit fifth, having won their last five games in a row.

But Smith will be grateful to his predecessor Steve Bruce for signing one player in particular: John McGinn.

Last summer, Aston Villa beat Celtic to the signing of McGinn from Hibernian and he has proved to be a major coup in the Championship.

The Scotland international is a left-footed central midfielder who can perform his defensive duties in addition to posing a threat from the middle of the park.

McGinn provided an assist for Tyrone Mings in the weekend victory over Blackburn Rovers, taking his tally to nine for the season.

The 24-year-old has also scored five goals in the Championship and has demonstrated why he was such an in-demand player last summer.

His importance to the team was clear when he embarked on a late run, dribbling from his own half, right across the pitch and winning a corner at the end of the game.

This showed McGinn’s intelligence, game management and ability to run teams ragged with the ball at his feet.

McGinn might have been signed by Bruce, but he is the midfield technician orchestrating a promotion push under Smith.