Thursday 6 June 2019 12:23, UK
John McGinn hopes Aston Villa can follow in Wolves' footsteps and have a successful first season back in the Premier League.
Following promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, Wolves qualified for the Europa League in the 2018/19 season after a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League. They also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
"I think we need to be realistic but have some sort of ambitions to make an impact," McGinn said. "You see certain teams come in, they change a little or they change a lot. Some of them do well, some go down.
"We're hoping to emulate Wolves and what they managed to do. But then at the same time we need to be realistic and know how difficult the jump up is.
"I think I know and everyone knows in the squad that they need to up their game as well to go and prove that we can be Premier League players."
After joining Villa from Hibernian in August 2018, McGinn made an instant impact in the Championship and scored the winner in the play-off final against Derby.
"It's been brilliant personally," he added. "Over the season I think it's the most consistent I've been.
"I've said before I just wanted to go down and make some sort of impact but to make the impact I have I'm delighted with.
"It's a nice feeling when you go in and you're teammates and coaches are saying they didn't know much about you. You want to prove to them that you can play and I think when you're playing against new players and new teams every week and they don't know your traits it's a nice feeling."
McGinn's performances in his first season in England caught the eye of his team-mates and the Villa fans. He was named Players' Player of the Year and Supporters' Player of the Year at the club's end of season awards night.
"To get that respect off my teammates and supporters so quickly has helped me massively," the midfielder said.
"I think even the Hibs fans will tell you and the St Mirren fans, I was always showing potential but maybe I wasn't consistent enough. I think now I've managed to get a bit more consistent.
"Don't get me wrong I've still a lot of developing and improving to do but I feel as if I'm becoming a more all-rounded player and offering more on a consistent basis."
Despite the season's fairytale end, it wasn't all plain-sailing for McGinn and Villa. Steve Bruce was in charge when McGinn joined the club, but by October 2018, he was sacked after a run of one win in 10 games.
Dean Smith took over but initially Villa continued to struggle. Following a 1-1 draw with Stoke at the end of February, they were eight points off the play-off places.
However, a run of 10 wins in a row after that propelled Villa into the play-offs, through which they achieved promotion back to the Premier League.
"It's a bit crazy to be honest," McGinn said. "At Christmas time we were probably nearer relegation than getting promotion.
"I think that's why we were so relieved at the end of it. At full-time, it was just like we'd achieved something special. I think Aston Villa deserve to be in the top flight.
"The run we went on to get into that position was incredible and we deserve such great credit for that."
Speculation has continued this summer surrounding the future of Aston Villa's captain Jack Grealish. The 23-year-old was linked with a move to Tottenham last year but McGinn wants him to stay.
"He's a brilliant boy, a Villa fan and I'm sure the attraction of playing for his team in the Premier League hopefully manages to keep him," he said.
"He's a top player and a great leader for us but I'm sure there'll be interest and it's up to the club to try and keep hold of him."
