Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: pauliewalnuts on October 11, 2018, 11:32:39 PM

Title: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: pauliewalnuts on October 11, 2018, 11:32:39 PM
Who is your favourite Villa player - not necessarily the best player we've had, but the one who made you happiest at whichever time in your life?

Must be someone you watched, and no fucking about with "well, it's him, or him or maybe him, I dunno". One name.

I'll start.

Brian Little.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: 260475 on October 11, 2018, 11:38:52 PM
Andy Gray, no question
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: dave.woodhall on October 11, 2018, 11:41:38 PM
Brian Little.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: ColinMac on October 12, 2018, 12:47:22 AM
Gary Shaw
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Axl Rose on October 12, 2018, 12:55:53 AM
Yorke
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: JD on October 12, 2018, 01:17:18 AM
Sir Brian. My first hero.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: St AustellAVFC on October 12, 2018, 02:58:06 AM
Dean Saunders
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: The Left Side on October 12, 2018, 03:35:03 AM
Gordon Sidney Cowans
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Ian. on October 12, 2018, 07:17:39 AM
Dwight Yorke
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Scratchins on October 12, 2018, 08:07:21 AM
Gerry Hitchens (aka Scratchins)
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: fbriai on October 12, 2018, 08:12:52 AM
Lord McGrath
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Exeter 77 on October 12, 2018, 08:15:53 AM
Paul McGrath
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Lsvilla on October 12, 2018, 08:19:57 AM
Gary Shaw
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Chinchilla Bathhouse on October 12, 2018, 08:21:16 AM
Paul McGrath
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Risso on October 12, 2018, 09:03:42 AM
Dalian Atkinson
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: dave shelley on October 12, 2018, 09:03:58 AM
Another shout for Gerry Hitchens, I worshipped him.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle on October 12, 2018, 09:19:58 AM
Chris Price - the sheer delight of him scoring against Arsenal.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: garyshawsknee on October 12, 2018, 09:31:15 AM
And his delight when he set up Daleys volley against Everton on the previous season.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Lastfootstamper on October 12, 2018, 10:13:40 AM
Chris Price - the sheer delight of him scoring against Arsenal.

Cascarino's deftest touch in a Villa shirt.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: West Derby Villan on October 12, 2018, 10:14:55 AM
Andy Gray
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Exeter 77 on October 12, 2018, 11:25:14 AM
Chris Price - the sheer delight of him scoring against Arsenal.
And the following season when he tied Andreas Brehme up in a knot.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: SteveN on October 12, 2018, 11:39:21 AM
Gerry Hitchens, would be worth a king's ransom in today's market.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: rob_bridge on October 13, 2018, 01:04:48 PM
Paul McGrath
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Dave P on October 13, 2018, 03:46:52 PM
Has to be McGrath
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: passport1 on October 13, 2018, 03:53:02 PM
Des Bremner
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: four fornicholl on October 13, 2018, 03:53:07 PM
Andy Gray.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: FrankyH on October 13, 2018, 03:55:15 PM
Sid Cowans
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Meanwood Villa on October 13, 2018, 04:03:07 PM
Tony Daley
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: AV82EC on October 13, 2018, 05:39:27 PM
Dwight Yorke
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Deano's Mullet on October 14, 2018, 09:42:50 AM
Dean Saunders
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Godfrey Brian on October 14, 2018, 11:21:30 AM
Sid Cowans
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Nunkin1965 on October 14, 2018, 11:32:10 AM
Ian Taylor
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: luke95 on October 14, 2018, 11:34:55 AM
Sid Cowans
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: TaxDodger on October 14, 2018, 02:10:49 PM
Juan Pablo Angel.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Border villan on October 14, 2018, 02:25:55 PM
Eamoon Deacy RIP.
Will never forget him kicking Fash the Bash up in the air.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: walsall villain on October 14, 2018, 02:52:29 PM
Brian Little
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Damo70 on October 14, 2018, 08:56:54 PM
Tony Morley. League title and European cup winner, scorer of spectacular goals and flicked the V sign to his manager. Considering I was about eleven around that time what was not to love? About ten years ago I went to watch the old boys team play a charity match in Yardley for a very poorly young lad and I offered a hundred quid to go to the charity for Tony Morley's shirt from the game (the old boys were sponsored by 'Floors to go' but the shirt had his name and number eleven on the back). My wife approached Neil Rioch who was managing the side and he basically said no chance but Tony Morley found out from the boy's dad about my offer and gave me his phone number and arranged to meet me a couple of days later at a school on Chelmsley Wood where he was putting on a coaching session. So I got Tony Morley's shirt, got a photo with him and had his mobile number on my mobile for a while. He also said Neil Rioch was a wanker over the shirt incident. Tony Morley also turned up (with Sid) to the funeral of a close relative of mine earlier this year. I should point out that I did fulfill my promise of the donation.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Duncan Shaw on October 15, 2018, 12:58:48 PM
Gary Shaw
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Villa Lew on October 19, 2018, 03:51:33 AM
Peter McParland
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: dcdavecollett on October 19, 2018, 06:24:54 PM
Brian Little, the first player I ever saw come through the re-vamped youth system and make it to the first-team.

What a player!
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Villan For Life on October 19, 2018, 06:27:41 PM
Sid
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: The Charmer on October 19, 2018, 06:41:10 PM
Brian Little
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Rory on October 19, 2018, 11:51:49 PM
Alan Wright.

He was my first favourite player, for no particular reason. I met him at my first game when I was 8, 1-3 loss to MON's Leicester.

Every player I met was miserable (Staunton in particular), but when I asked Alan for his autograph and showed him his name on the back of my shirt, he looked genuinely chuffed and made a joke about me being taller than him by the time I was 10.

It being my first game, and the lads being a bit grumpy after a loss, I think I was a little scared, to be honest. But meeting my favourite player, and him being the only guy in the room who gave me a smile is one of my fondest Villa memories.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: thick_mike on October 20, 2018, 12:17:30 AM
Mark Walters

I named my first cat and my aspidistra after him
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: wittonwarrior on October 20, 2018, 10:30:01 AM
Wow
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: garyshawsknee on October 20, 2018, 10:32:28 AM
Gary Shaw is the reason why I support Villa, but my first hero was Mark Walters, even cried when he moved to Rangers, though I was only 9 !!
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Damo70 on October 20, 2018, 07:55:24 PM
Alan Wright.

He was my first favourite player, for no particular reason. I met him at my first game when I was 8, 1-3 loss to MON's Leicester.

Every player I met was miserable (Staunton in particular), but when I asked Alan for his autograph and showed him his name on the back of my shirt, he looked genuinely chuffed and made a joke about me being taller than him by the time I was 10.

It being my first game, and the lads being a bit grumpy after a loss, I think I was a little scared, to be honest. But meeting my favourite player, and him being the only guy in the room who gave me a smile is one of my fondest Villa memories.


When I first met my wife and started taking her to the Villa with me occasionally she took an instant liking to Alan Wright. She found it endearing that he was usually the smallest player on the pitch.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Bernie on October 20, 2018, 08:23:11 PM
Sir Brian Little
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Rory on October 21, 2018, 02:53:59 AM
I didn't actually realise how small he was until I met him! To me, he looked a 'normal' guy in a land of giants.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Damo70 on October 21, 2018, 02:07:51 PM
I didn't actually realise how small he was until I met him! To me, he looked a 'normal' guy in a land of giants.


I'm sure I heard some story about him having to have the seat adapted in his Ferrari due to his size. Which surprised me as I am not particularly tall and having owned several sports cars they are usually far more suited to smaller/shorter drivers.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Chico Hamilton III on October 23, 2018, 04:49:43 PM


I named my first cat and my aspidistra after him

We had a cat called Chico and Dudley Zoo used to have a polar bear called Chico Hamilton.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: FatSam on October 26, 2018, 12:44:12 AM
Tony Daley
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: tomd2103 on October 26, 2018, 11:39:54 AM
Paul McGrath
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Louzie0 on October 26, 2018, 05:48:28 PM
Charlie Aitken



And, in very recent times I have been rather enthusiastic about Emile Heskey.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: joniboy on October 27, 2018, 02:22:49 AM
Dennis Mortimer  ;D
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: AlexAlexCropley on October 27, 2018, 08:08:34 PM
Alex Cropley.He elevated us.The way he could stroke the ball with that left peg has stayed with me ever since.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: clash city rocker on October 30, 2018, 07:25:35 PM
Dennis Mortimer........hover boots....the way he used to float over the mud at villa park.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Darlo Dave on December 12, 2018, 03:44:31 PM
When I was a yoot dem, David Platt. As I got older, Paul McGrath. No one has overtaken God since.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: curiousorange on December 18, 2018, 05:32:02 PM
I'm slightly too young for Platt and slightly too old for Yorke, so it's Deano for me.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Big Dick Edwards on December 19, 2018, 04:22:44 PM
No man will ever bring me as much pleasure as Nigel Spink did on 26th May 1982. He will always be my special Villa player.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: curiousorange on December 19, 2018, 09:41:56 PM
He would not in any sense be my favourite Villa player, but the one to give me most pleasure was Stan Collymore when he scored that screamer against Atletico Madrid. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I was in that single moment.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Scratchins on December 20, 2018, 07:41:50 AM
He would not in any sense be my favourite Villa player, but the one to give me most pleasure was Stan Collymore when he scored that screamer against Atletico Madrid. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I was in that single moment.
That is my favourite goal. It felt like a Tom & Jerry cartoon with the stands bursting open with the noise then coming back in again.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Rotterdam on December 20, 2018, 07:25:22 PM
After much deliberation, I've gone for Juan Pablo.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Mortimer's Bear on January 03, 2019, 11:41:57 AM
He would not in any sense be my favourite Villa player, but the one to give me most pleasure was Stan Collymore when he scored that screamer against Atletico Madrid. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I was in that single moment.

My favourite ever goal.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: LeeB on January 06, 2019, 06:36:30 PM
Tony Daley's goal at the Stripeys in the cup is my favourite ever Villa goal.

Gordon Sidney Cowans is my favourite ever player.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: maidstonevillain on April 07, 2019, 09:57:37 PM
Another vote for Brian Little.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Colhint on April 07, 2019, 10:12:12 PM
If Dennis Mortimer played in snow he wouldn't leave footprints, but for me It's Gerry Hitchens .

Probably it's because I wore his England kit, the whole lot,cap included, to watch us win the world cup as a kid. And I was too young to see him play,

And Maybe it's because he was my uncle.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Godfrey Brian on April 07, 2019, 10:19:58 PM
If Dennis Mortimer played in snow he wouldn't leave footprints, but for me It's Gerry Hitchens .

Probably it's because I wore his England kit, the whole lot,cap included, to watch us win the world cup as a kid. And I was too young to see him play,

And Maybe it's because he was my uncle.
There's a road, Hitchens Way, named after him in Highley, Shropshire where he was born, worked as a miner and learned his football.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Colhint on April 07, 2019, 10:53:24 PM
If Dennis Mortimer played in snow he wouldn't leave footprints, but for me It's Gerry Hitchens .

Probably it's because I wore his England kit, the whole lot,cap included, to watch us win the world cup as a kid. And I was too young to see him play,

And Maybe it's because he was my uncle.
There's a road, Hitchens Way, named after him in Highley, Shropshire where he was born, worked as a miner and learned his football.

yup spent many a saturday evening in the miners club in Highly as a kid, schweppes ginger beer with a straw and a packet of golden wonder chicken crisps was my go to and sixpence in the one armed bandit.

On a sad note he may not be the most famous person from Highly. One of my mates as a kid when we went there, probably every other week in school hols, was a girl called Leslie Whittle, good friend good pal. 8 months older than me. She was kidnapped and murdered by Donald Neilson aka the black panther. Mucked about with my head for a while, same with my mates.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: itbrvilla on April 07, 2019, 11:32:43 PM
Ian Taylor
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: lovejoy on April 17, 2019, 02:37:33 PM
David Platt

My favourite goal was Deano's penalty at Wembley in 1994
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on April 17, 2019, 02:43:30 PM
Gordon Sidney Cowans.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: DennisHodgetts on April 17, 2019, 02:45:22 PM
Sid has to be favourite in my time, though give Jack time and he might challenge. As I have got older I have appreciated more and more how good, God, Paul Mcgrath was. My late Grandad always went on about Pongo, and before that is the great Dennis Hodgetts of course!
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Dr Butler on April 17, 2019, 03:10:49 PM
fav goal was probably Alan Wright's left footed half volley to make it 4 vs Spuds around 2000

fav player who I watched regularly is Paul McGrath

UTV
The Doc
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Rotterdam on April 17, 2019, 07:31:20 PM
The youngest Rotters (aged 3) has been brain washed by me to answer "Aston Villa' and Jack Grealish' to any football related question.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Rigadon on April 17, 2019, 07:42:19 PM
As a kid I loved (in equal measures) Mark Walters, Tony Daley, Didier Six (I know I know) and Gordon Cowans, but my absolute favourite was Gary Shaw, even though when I started going down VP in 1982 he was coming to the end of his brilliance.   As an adult, although the hero-worship is long gone, I think Jack Grealish could be better than all of them - he's that good I think. 

Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: ronshirt on April 27, 2019, 06:29:50 PM
Brian Little.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvYibKVfoeG67iNuRwxCkg
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: the-farmer on May 02, 2019, 11:12:43 PM
Andy Gray closely followed by David Platt
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Hillbilly on July 15, 2019, 11:44:51 AM
Allan Evans. Or maybe Sir Brian. And a little bit of Ray Graydon. As kid I was fascinated and terrified by Andy Lochhead. As were most centre halves I understand.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Steve67 on July 15, 2019, 09:42:33 PM
Gordon Cowans.  Had everything. Could pass, tackle, score goals.  Absolutely magic player.  Then Paul McGrath.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on July 16, 2019, 09:48:17 AM
Brian Little. Lots of memorable goals and big match winning performances.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: UK Redsox on July 16, 2019, 01:48:29 PM
Hitz

Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Clark W Griswold on July 16, 2019, 01:56:34 PM
McGrath.

Currently, Mings obviously.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 16, 2019, 05:13:02 PM
Paul McGrath.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Chipsticks on July 16, 2019, 05:44:07 PM
As a fan in their mid-20's, for me it's definitely Jack Grealish.

Previously I would have given Laursen the nod, but the way Jack came in, at our darkest hour, as captain and led us to promotion is truly the stuff of folklore. You really couldn't have written it better.

We've had great players in my lifetime who I've loved watching (Laursen, Mellberg, Carew, Young, Milner, Gabby), but ultimately Jack went one better than the lot of them by helping us win something, and achieve a tangible outcome that will live long in the memory.

For me it's one of the reasons that he's so important to the club - he's an absolute icon to an entire generation of young fans; and he stands pretty much alone.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Comrade Blitz on July 20, 2019, 02:06:54 AM
The player I was happiest to meet and have my picture taken with at BHM in the summer of 1997 was Ugo Ehiogu
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Steve67 on July 28, 2019, 11:13:29 AM
The player I was happiest to meet and have my picture taken with at BHM in the summer of 1997 was Ugo Ehiogu

I met Ugo standing outside a pub in Highgate, London five years ago. He was standing outside having a fag!  Lovely guy, shook his hand and wished him well. 
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: TustinCAFan on July 29, 2019, 03:20:41 AM
Hard to reply when you're old.  I thought about Willie Anderson and Brian Little, but decided on Bruce Rioch.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: villa `cross the mersey on August 05, 2019, 05:48:58 PM
Colin Withers - loved the all green keepers kit he used to wear
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: spineynorman on October 18, 2019, 04:46:29 PM
Bruce Rioch
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Scovilla on October 18, 2019, 04:48:46 PM
Gary Shaw.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: tricky59 on October 18, 2019, 04:55:52 PM
Peter McParland
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: itbrvilla on October 18, 2019, 05:17:13 PM
Think I've already said Ian Taylor. Bit favourite goals on no particular order:

Stan Vs Madrid
Savo Vs Leeds
Hits Vs Albion
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Bobby Boy on October 28, 2019, 02:50:35 PM
Peter Withe. He made a big impression on this then impressionable teenager.

Can still visualise him sweeping the ball into the net after Ray Clemence had dropped a corner during the 1981 Charity Shield and then feeling really chuffed when his name came up on Ceefax when he scored his only England goal versus Hungary.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Des Little on October 28, 2019, 04:57:59 PM
Cowans.  Country mile
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Chipsticks on October 28, 2019, 05:01:23 PM
It's Grealish for me, tbh.

Closely followed by Laursen in second place.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: Tayls_7 on November 03, 2019, 07:08:13 PM
Grew up idolising Tony Morley with Ian Taylor becoming a huge favourite.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: OzVilla on November 11, 2019, 06:57:41 AM
A tough one as there's a few but if I had to chose one it'd be Paul McGrath.  Just the best player I've ever seen play for us, truly world class.  Pleased to say he was a really lovely chap when I met him to. 
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: sid1964 on November 14, 2019, 02:53:36 PM
Sid!!! all day all night - just the best, even watching him in the warm up before the start of the game was a pleasure.

McGrath runs him a close 2nd! - apart form that performance at Coventry (boxing day) he was magnificent!
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: tony scott on November 16, 2019, 01:30:45 AM
A winger who could score Harry Burrows
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: wittonwarrior on November 18, 2019, 11:06:52 AM
Well I knew tony it wouldn’t be burridge.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: FrankyH on January 04, 2020, 10:07:16 PM
Sid Cowans , but I've just watched the BBC video "The Official History of Aston Villa F.C." to cheer me up after today's lame surrender.

I love Dennis Mortimer, watching him score at Everton away , Liverpool at home  with a beaming smile (game I was at) and applauding various Tony Morley super strikes the season we won the League. The guy was calmness personified, the greatest Villa captain ever.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: stevo_st on January 09, 2020, 08:01:02 AM
80s - Tony Daley
90s - God
00s - Martin Laursen
10s - Jack Grealish
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: clash city rocker on January 11, 2020, 06:35:45 PM
Peter withe . . Legend.  Closely  followed by Tony Morley  and Sid. Oh and Dennis  Mortimer.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: TonyD on January 11, 2020, 11:03:42 PM
Grealish.   And the best Villa player I’ve seen play.
Title: Re: Your favourite Villa player
Post by: 26May82 on January 14, 2020, 08:51:15 PM
Chico
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