▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Under ▁O ' Le ary , ▁Villa ▁made ▁a ▁very ▁sl ugg ish ▁start ▁to ▁the ▁campaign ▁and ▁found ▁themselves ▁in ▁the ▁re leg ation ▁zone ▁after ▁winning ▁just ▁two ▁of ▁their ▁first ▁ 1 3 ▁league ▁fi xt ures . ▁They ▁were ▁still ▁in ▁the ▁bottom ▁three ▁in ▁mid - Dec ember ▁before ▁O ' Le ary ▁gal van ized ▁them ▁and ▁they ▁gradually ▁clim bed ▁the ▁table . ▁Villa ▁had ▁a ▁fant astic ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁and , ▁with ▁two ▁matches ▁remaining , ▁had ▁a ▁chance ▁of ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁Champions ▁League . ▁After ▁extending ▁their ▁un be aten ▁run ▁to ▁eight ▁games ▁by ▁drawing ▁at ▁South am pton , ▁defeat ▁against ▁Manchester ▁United ▁at ▁Villa ▁Park ▁cons igned ▁them ▁to ▁sixth ▁place . ▁The ▁Villa ins ▁finished ▁five ▁points ▁short ▁of ▁a ▁Champions ▁League ▁place ▁and ▁were ▁ed ged ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁UEFA ▁Cup ▁spot ▁on ▁goal ▁difference ▁by ▁New castle ▁United . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁it ▁was ▁still ▁a ▁great ▁achiev ement ▁by ▁O ' Le ary , ▁who ▁appeared ▁to ▁get ▁the ▁best ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁lik es ▁of ▁G are th ▁Barry , ▁Lee ▁Hend rie , ▁J l loyd ▁Samuel ▁and ▁ 1 6 - goal ▁Juan ▁Pablo ▁Áng el . ▁The ▁Colomb ian ▁was ▁the ▁club ' s ▁leading ▁sc orer , ▁while ▁D arius ▁V ass ell ▁bag ged ▁ 9 ▁goals ▁to ▁c ement ▁his ▁place ▁in ▁England ' s ▁Euro ▁ 2 0