On March 7, 2020, Peter Whittingham suffered a traumatic head injury after falling while with friends at the Park Hotel pub in Barry.

Just 11 days later, the football world was rocked by the news that Whittingham had died in hospital after failing to regain consciousness.

Clubs throughout the game - including Whittingham's former sides Coventry City, Burnley, Derby County and Blackburn Rovers - paid tribute to a man who had provided so much joy and excitement to those who had watched his career.

But two clubs in particular perhaps felt more crushed than most, and even after paying their respects in the most poignant of ways, they still desperately struggled to comprehend what had happened to a man they considered their own.

On Friday night – days away from the fifth anniversary of Whittingham’s death - those two teams meet for the first time since the midfielder’s devastating passing.

Aston Villa host Cardiff City in the fifth round of the FA Cup at Villa Park knowing that they will be firm favourites to reach the quarter-finals by beating a side struggling at the bottom end of the Championship.

For the travelling Bluebirds - of which there are expected to be around 6,000 - the pressure is firmly off.

Their focus remains solely on securing their Championship status, something Tuesday night's 1-0 victory over Hull City played a big part in ensuring they can achieve.

The relatively short journey to the Midlands will afford Cardiff's fans the chance to remember Whittingham at the home of the club where the midfielder's professional career started.

'Whitts' was handed his senior debut for the Villains against Newcastle United in April 2003 at the age of just 19.

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He went on to make 66 first team appearances for the club, scoring two goals before securing a permanent move to Cardiff in January 2007 following loan stints with Burnley and Derby.

It's fair to say, the early days of the central midfielder's Bluebirds career set the tone for his decade-long period in the Welsh capital as he scored four times in his opening 11 Championship appearances under Dave Jones.

Little did those at Ninian Park - and later Cardiff City Stadium - know that they had signed a player and a man they would go on to idolise, cherish and adore.

Nine goals in his first full campaign further highlighted his capabilities in front of the net - with a third of those coming against Chasetown, Wolves and Middlesbrough during Cardiff's memorable run to the FA Cup final.

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Despite the bitter Wembley disappointment against Portsmouth, Whittingham grew in stature, scoring 20 goals to end the 2009-10 season as the Championship's top scorer, only for Jones' men to once again suffer at Wembley as they were beaten 3-2 by Blackpool in the play-off final.

It was third time unlucky at the home of English football as Liverpool beat Malky Mackay's men on penalties in the final of the 2012 League Cup - with Whittingham again finishing the season as the club's top scorer.

But he played a pivotal role as Cardiff finally got over the line and gained a first ever promotion into the Premier League in 2013 as champions.

That era truly represented a golden period for the Bluebirds, and Whittingham was at the heart of it all.

His influence waned following the arrival of Neil Warnock in 2016, with Cardiff back in the Championship, and he cut an emotional figure when substituted against Newcastle on what proved to be his final home appearance for the club.

READ MORE: Cardiff City And Aston Villa To Pay Tribute To Bluebirds Legend Peter Whittingham

Following a spell with Blackburn, Whittingham - who was named in the Championship's PFA Team of the Year on three occasions - retired.

The heartache that followed left Cardiff and Villa numb with pain, and days after his death, ex-Bluebird Michael Chopra described Whittingham as "the best player who has ever played for Cardiff".

The second paragraph in Cardiff's official club statement confirming the news of Whittingham's shock passing almost five years ago simply read: "We are heartbroken."

Whittingham was Cardiff through and through, and he was equally honoured to represent a club as rich in history as Aston Villa.

The Peter Whittingham Memorial Match was held between Cardiff and Villa in November 2022 - with the fixture also being used to launch the PW7 Foundation, created in 2021 by Whittingham's family in his memory.

It's particularly fitting Cardiff take on Villa in the FA Cup given Whittingham's sublime impact in the competition during his first full campaign with the Bluebirds.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, manager Omer Riza said of Whittingham: "Since I've come into this club, I know what he means to fans and staff around the place and the legacy he has left."

Whittingham is sadly no longer with us, but, as Riza says, his legacy will always live on. 
Friday will provide the perfect platform to showcase that.