He believes Christian Benteke and Jack Grealish could be key on Saturday

Midfielder's dad, Kevin, still works as an electrician for League One Crewe

This, Ashley Westwood explains, is why he did not even ask how much he was being paid before signing his contract at Aston Villa. It was the opportunity to play in the Barclays Premier League. The chance to appear, as he rather hopes he will this weekend, in an FA Cup final.

It was transfer deadline day in the summer of 2012 when Westwood made his move to Villa Park. He had just featured prominently in a Crewe Alexandra side who had secured promotion through the League Two play-offs, earning the relatively modest amount of around £50,000 a year.

He was happy enough with that but his wife Rebecca had just given birth to their first child and a move to the Premier League was going to give them greater financial security. He thought he was signing for Swansea. Until the Swansea deal fell through.

Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood is preparing to face Arsenal in the FA Cup at Wembley on Saturday

Westwood slides in on Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield during his side's 1-0 defeat at Villa Park on Sunday

Westwood scores for Crewe Alexandra from the penalty spot during a game against Torquay in October 2010

Peterborough were interested, but Westwood's agent told him to hold out for a top-flight club. 'I was standing in my dad's kitchen on deadline day when the call came in from Villa,' says Westwood over lunch. 'I guess it must have been around 12.30pm and we shot straight down there.'

While his father joined him in talking to Paul Lambert, then the manager, his agent discussed his client's salary with the club's chief executive. 'It was just as well he did because I would have come here for nothing,' says Westwood. 'In fact I didn't even know how much I was getting until after I'd signed the contract and started reading it. I just wanted to play Premier League football.'

Westwood might have been a product of the highly regarded Crewe academy, but he values weeks like this because of the obstacles he had to overcome to get here.

'At one stage, when I was 18, I was sent out on loan to Nantwich,' he says. 'It was tough and physical at that non-League level. I played against teams like Boston United, Bradford Park Avenue, Guiseley. The most basic grounds; two showers in the dressing room.

'It was the making of me to be honest. I thought, "I've got to make sure I kick on from here". I went back to Crewe and worked hard to break into the first team.'

Crewe are in his blood. His dad, Kevin, was and still is the club electrician, in charge of the training ground and the stadium at Gresty Road on match days. 'One of my first memories is being about five and eating Chinese food in the stadium manager's office before a game,' he says.

Westwood beats Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling to the ball during the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley

Southend's Ryan Hall tussles with Westwood during a play-off semi-final clash at Roots Hall in May, 2012

Westwood celebrates with Fabian Delph after the midfielder's winning goal against Liverpool last month

His older brother, Lee, would play for the Crewe academy too, seven years ahead of him. Lee would represent England at junior level and secure a place at the Lilleshall School of Excellence. ‘He was best mates with Seth Johnson,’ says Westwood. ‘In fact my sister, Laura, went out with Seth for a while.

‘In that way I was immersed in football. It was a huge part of our lives. My brother was a good player. A big, quick winger. Sadly he suffered a stress fracture in his back at 17 and it killed his career really.

‘But he’s got his own business now and he comes to all my games. He lives football through me now, really. And he has my back. My dad also comes when he can. When he’s not got a game at Crewe.’

Westwood says his whole family keep him grounded. But this 25-year-old, someone who credits Dario Gradi with working him hard to acquire the technical ability to be a two-footed central midfielder, seems pretty down-to-earth anyway.

When he met his wife he was 19 and she was 23. He lied about his age — he said he was 21 — and he told her he was an electrician too; mainly because he did not want her to compare him to the modern football stereotype. ‘I even started to advise her on how to rewire her new house,’ he said. ‘Truth is I had no idea what I was talking about.’

Westwood has a shot at goal against Burnley during Aston Villa's final game of the Premier League season

Westwood celebrates a goal for Crewe (left) and controls the ball in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley

Westwood holds his newborn child during Villa's lap of honour at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon

He came clean in the end and as a married couple they are on quite a run at Wembley. ‘On the previous two occasions I’ve played there Rebecca has been pregnant,’ he says. ‘With our first in 2012 and with our second when we played Liverpool in the semi-final. The baby’s been born now so it can’t happen this time.’

He certainly hopes for a third consecutive win, though, and takes confidence from his team-mates, however dangerous Arsenal might be; in his view ‘the best footballing side in the Premier League’.

He talks of Villa having the ‘pace and power’ to hurt Arsenal. About Christian Benteke giving Arsene Wenger’s defenders ‘sleepless nights’.

In his view Jack Grealish should also concern them. ‘He’s a special talent, the way he just glides past you in training,’ he says. ‘You feel like whacking him, the way he floats past you with his hair. I’m sure he could be our match-winner.

‘He’s also a Villa fan, through and through. He used to stand on the Holte End. To have a fan in your team, that’s what you’d want on FA Cup final day.’

And players who savour the moment as much as Westwood does.

Westwood believes Arsenal's players will be having 'sleepless nights' because of Christian Benteke (left)

Jack Grealish (right), pictured in action against Burnley, is a 'special talent' according to Westwood