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James Chester with one hand on the trophy and a play-off winners’ medal around his neck - a fitting image after three years of guts, grit and heroism which Aston Villa fans won’t forget.

Villa defender Chester, who has worn the captain’s armband for the majority of the club’s Championship journey, missed the final against Derby County due to a knee injury.

Head coach Dean Smith has previously explained how Chester admirably played through the pain until defensive reinforcements arrived in January.

But Chester, 30, has now revealed the heartbreaking extent of the injury and admits he faces a chronic battle for the rest of his playing days.

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“I've damaged my body indefinitely,” says Chester. “It's something I'm going to have to manage for the rest of my career.

“Hopefully I can look after it and play for as long as possible. It is what it is, I'm a professional.

“I've been training for the last six weeks. It's a case of managing what I do. I'm feeling better and better as the weeks go on.

“The break over the summer will hopefully do me well and I can come back and give it a go next season.”

After joining Villa from West Bromwich Albion in August 2016 Chester didn’t miss a second of league football until he was sent off in Steve Bruce’s final game in charge against Preston in October.

He enjoyed two seasons of uninterrupted excellence at the back and claimed Villa’s player of the year award for 2017/18, fighting off competition from John Terry and Jack Grealish.

That has made his stint on the sidelines so much tougher.

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“It's certainly tough not playing - any player will tell you that,” the Wales international continued. “If you're not involved you quickly feel like you're not a part of things. You're having your own battles trying to get fit.

“Looking at the last three years personally I've been a really big part of what this club has achieved and I'm really proud of that.

“It's been tough and really painful at times but it's just how I've been brought up at home. I felt it was my duty as such to continue, being the only centre half.”

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Villa’s promotion means more to Chester than most. He was one of the marquee signings that arrived in 2016 with the goal of returning to the Premier League - and one who suffered the agony of play-off final heartbreak in 2018.

He said: “It's a long time coming. All of us that signed in that summer hoped to do this a little bit earlier than we have done.

“You see the support today - and the support we've had over the last three years - it deserves to be in the Premier League.”