Chapter 08, 2021–22, Villa Park, Birmingham
Breakthrough and Recognition in 2021–22
The 2021–22 season brought Matty Cash his Poland debut, his first goal at Villa Park, and Aston Villa's Player of the Season award.
On the pitch at Villa Park in Birmingham on 18 September 2021, Matty Cash cemented his place in Aston Villa supporters' hearts. In a 3–0 Premier League win against Everton, the right-back scored his first goal for the club, sending a clear signal that he had adapted to the English top flight.
The path to the white and red colours
At the same time, the player's international future was taking shape. On 22 October 2021 at Emirates Stadium in London, Poland national team manager Paulo Sousa watched the defender from the stands during a match against Arsenal. A few days later, on 26 October 2021 in Warsaw, Matty Cash signed his official Polish citizenship application at the Masovian Voivodeship Office. The formalities were completed swiftly – on 1 November he received his first-ever Poland call-up, and on 12 November 2021 he made his debut in a 4–1 away World Cup qualifying victory against Andorra in Andorra la Vella.
Autumn also brought upheaval at club level. On 7 November 2021, Aston Villa dismissed manager Dean Smith, under whose guidance Cash had joined the club. Just four days later, on 11 November, Steven Gerrard was appointed as the new Aston Villa manager, under whom the Polish defender continued to feature regularly at right-back.
An emotional goal and a new contract
Spring 2022 brought crucial milestones. On 26 February 2022 at the Amex Stadium in Falmer, Cash scored a stunning long-range goal in a 2–0 away win against Brighton & Hove Albion. After scoring, he removed his shirt to reveal a message of support for Tomasz Kędziora and his family amidst the war in Ukraine, receiving a yellow card for the celebration. His strike was later nominated for the Premier League Goal of the Month award.
Meanwhile, interest from elsewhere grew, with reports linking him to Atlético Madrid. On 4 April 2022, Cash put an end to the speculation by signing a five-year contract extension with Aston Villa, committing his long-term future to the club.
End-of-season recognition
The 2021–22 campaign concluded with a wave of recognition. The defender made 38 league appearances and scored 4 goals in the Premier League, establishing himself as an undisputed pillar of the Birmingham club's defence. On 12 May 2022 at Aston Villa's end-of-season awards ceremony, he was voted the club's Player of the Season by supporters.
The climax of these successful months came on the international stage. On 11 June 2022 in Rotterdam during a UEFA Nations League match against the Netherlands (2–2), Matty Cash scored his first-ever goal for the Poland national team, proving he had become a permanent fixture in the national setup ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Season album
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The season’s chronicle
Premier League match against Brentford
Matty Cash played for Aston Villa in a 1-1 Premier League draw against Brentford and received a yellow card in the 61st minute.
First goal for Aston Villa against Everton
On 18 September 2021, Matty Cash scored his first goal for Aston Villa in a 3–0 Premier League win against Everton.
Observed by Paulo Sousa at Emirates Stadium
Poland national team manager Paulo Sousa watched Matty Cash playing for Aston Villa against Arsenal from the stands at Emirates Stadium in a match that ended in a 1–3 defeat for Aston Villa.
Signing of Polish citizenship application
On 26 October 2021 at the Masovian Voivodeship Office in Warsaw, Matty Cash signed the official application to confirm his Polish citizenship.
First Poland Call-Up
Matty Cash received his first-ever call-up to the Poland national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Andorra and Hungary.
Dean Smith sacked by Aston Villa
Matty Cash's club, Aston Villa, sacked manager Dean Smith on 7 November 2021.
Steven Gerrard appointed Aston Villa manager
Steven Gerrard was appointed as the new manager of Aston Villa, replacing the dismissed Dean Smith.
Debut for Poland
Matty Cash made his debut for the Poland national team, playing in a 4–1 away victory against Andorra during the World Cup qualifiers.
Match against Leeds United
Matty Cash played in a 3–3 Premier League draw against Leeds United, receiving a yellow card in the 90th minute.
Match against Watford
Matty Cash featured in a 0–1 Premier League home defeat against Watford and was booked with a yellow card in the 57th minute.
Goal and message of support against Brighton
Matty Cash scored a long-range goal in a 2–0 away win against Brighton & Hove Albion. He received a yellow card for removing his shirt to reveal a message of support for Tomasz Kędziora amidst the war in Ukraine, and the strike was later nominated for the Premier League Goal of the Month award.
Five-year contract extension at Aston Villa
Matty Cash signed a five-year contract extension with Aston Villa, committing his future to the club until {{contract}} amidst reported interest from Atlético Madrid.
Aston Villa Player of the Season Award
At Aston Villa's end of season awards ceremony, Matty Cash was voted the club's Player of the Season for the 2021–22 campaign.
First goal for the Poland national team
Matty Cash scored his first-ever international goal for the Poland national football team in an away UEFA Nations League match against the Netherlands, which ended in a 2–2 draw.
Sources
- 12021–22 Aston Villa F.C. season – Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 2Matty Cash – Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 3Matty Cash - rodzice, korzenie, wiek, mama, zarobki, dziadek, klub. Czy mówi po polsku? - ESKA.pleska.pl
- 4Matty Cash nie kryje radości. Czekał na to trzy latao2.pl
Updated: 15 October 2026. Written with AI from the sources listed and automatically fact-checked against them before publishing.