The 1998-99 campaign was a season of soaring ambition and eventual heartbreak for Aston Villa. The Villans, led by manager John Gregory, spent much of the year dreaming of a first league title in 17 years, highlighted by a famous 3-2 comeback victory over champions Arsenal that briefly put them back on top of the league. Julian Joachim's crucial 14 goals, supported by Dion Dublin's double in the Arsenal win, were vital. However, a devastating 10-match winless run in the second half of the season saw the club spectacularly fall away, ultimately finishing 6th in the Premier League, marking a painful near-miss at the very moment the modern league's elite were being established.