Watch Aston Villa pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at their opening Premier League match

18 August 2025, 15:39 | Updated: 18 August 2025, 15:45

Aston Villa paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne during their opening Premier League match with Newcastle United on Saturday.

Aston Villa paid tribute to hometown hero Ozzy Osbourne during their opening Premier League match with Newcastle United on Saturday (16th August).

The Black Sabbath legend - died, aged 76, last month - just weeks after playing his last ever show at the star-studded event Back To The Beginning - on 5th July.

Now the famous Birmingham football club have honoured the Prince of Darkness on their first game of the season.

Ahead of kick-off, a video tribute of Ozzy was shown after they players warm up on the pitch.

Bostin' Brass - who performed at Ozzy's funeral procession in Birmingham last month - also played brass versions of his solo hits and Black Sabbath classic in the stadium's fan zone.

Aston Villa also opened a book of condolence in the the club store.

See the players walk out to Crazy train berlow:

Read more:

• Lars Ulrich: Ozzy Osbourne was "so warm and eloquent" at final Sabbath show
• Jack Osbourne speaks out on loss of dad Ozzy Osbourne: "My heart has hurt too much"
• Kelly Osbourne thanks fans for “love, support and beautiful messages” after dad Ozzy’s passing

Meanwhile the BBC had confirmed the release of a new Ozzy Osbourne documentary, which was filmed in the final chapter of his life.

Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home - which was to explore the "extraordinary rollercoaster" of the rock star's life and career - was originally meant to air this Monday (18th August) at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, but it has since been pulled from the schedule.

The project was filmed over three years as Ozzy and his family returned to the UK, and was initially conceived as a series entitled Home to Roost, but was turned into a one-off piece as Ozzy's condition worsened.

Read more:

• Ozzy Osbourne: the heavy metal legend's life in words and pictures

Tens of thousands have also joined a campaign to reopen The Crown pub, a now-shuttered venue in the city centre where Black Sabbath played their very first gig.

Closed for 11 years, the pub sits on Station Street – an area under threat from redevelopment plans that could see it -(the UK’s oldest working cinema, and Britain’s longest-running Repertory Theatre) torn down in favour of a new tower block.

The petition was launched by Darren John, who spoke to LBC about the venue's lasting impact. “The Crown is a special place in Birmingham. We’ve nicknamed it the Cathedral of Sound. It’s influenced every great musical genre over the last hundred years.

“People are realising, especially after Ozzy’s sad passing, that he belongs up there with Hendrix, Bowie, Lennon and Nina Simone. We haven’t seen scenes like this for a UK musician’s passing since John Lennon – people flew in from Sweden, Peru, Colombia, Japan, the U.S. – just to pay tribute.

“It baffles me that Birmingham hasn’t seized the opportunity to honour this musical legacy. Liverpool’s Beatles economy generates £82 million and 2,200 jobs. Birmingham is the birthplace of heavy metal, reggae, folk, punk, 2 Tone.. we should be doing the same. The Crown could do that. There’d be six-month waiting lists if it reopened.”

Last year, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon discussed the proposals – and revealed they weren't happy about the site being demolished to make way for new apartments, calling the move "heartbreaking".

Watch their discussion in a clip courtesy of Southside BID below:

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne discuss The Crown Pub (credit Southside BID)

Read more:

• Ozzy Osbourne's final memoir Last Rites to be posthumously released
• Oasis play first night at London's Wembley Stadium & pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne