Fans delighted that Stiliyan Petrov will join Aston Villa for their Championship pre-season

What an inspiration this man is.

Stiliyan Petrov hasn't played for Aston Villa for more than four years after his victorious battle with leukaemia. But the club has confirmed the legendary 36-year-old will link up with the side in their Championship pre-season. The former Celtic midfielder has hero status at the Midlands club and if anyone can inspire a charge back up into the Premier League it's him. https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/745934202101710848 It hit the Bulgarian hard to watch his beloved Villa slip out of the top flight but now it looks like he could take some part in Villa's future if he can prove his form and fitness. Petrov trained with the U21 squad last season to get him on the road back to fitness as he tries to reignite his career and now it seems that he will fly out with the squad to Austria over the summer. What a story it would be if he could take his place in the Villa side when the Championship season kicks off under Roberto Di Matteo. Villa fans on Twitter were delighted with the news the club hero will feature in pre-season.

@AVFCOfficial @BraidenHT @StanPetrov19 Good on you Stan. Welcome back.

— Rab Dickson (@Roy1Batty) June 23, 2016

@LukeMassey @AVFCOfficial @StanPetrov19 what a hero! — Mark Kendrick (@mark_kendrick) June 23, 2016

https://twitter.com/MattyAVFC_/status/745934250516619264

@BlueBoyRFC72 @AVFCOfficial @StanPetrov19 respect that

— kriidAV (@avfcforever) June 23, 2016

@AVFCOfficial @STVGrant @StanPetrov19 good luck Stan ?⚽️ — Ryz (@ryz_official) June 23, 2016