The Nearly Men

[Legion]

7 Great Players Linked with Aston Villa Who Never Joined

[supertom]

Loving Dougs claims about Roberto Carlos. That definitely ranks alongside the bicycle kick. In fact I think I'd sooner believe Ellis invented the bicycle kick.

If it was true, the one I really think was an opportunity missed was Andy Cole. Perhaps we'd have have been in the title race again that season with a 20 goal striker like Cole, as opposed to an increasingly inconsistent Atkinson and under-utilized Yorkie. Deano was solid but not quite the sort of striker that wins you leagues.

[Deano's Mullet]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

[supertom]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

Would have loved to see Bergkamp at the club.

[Exeter 77]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

I think Brian Little tried to sign Danny Blind as well before deciding to play Southgate as a defender.

[nigel]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

Would have loved to see Bergkamp at the club.

Would have been wonderful.

There was also a rumour regarding Ruud van Nistlroy (?) too.
It was not long after we'd signed Luc Nilis.
RvN has always said that his favourite strike partner was Nilis.

[SoccerHQ]

Robbie Keane is the one for me, most realistic from that list anyway that we could've signed.

A lot is always made of Juninho but to me he lost a bit after breaking his leg at Atletico Madrid, he didn't do much when he went back to Boro shortly afterwards.

I think the Falcao one MON actually came out and denied and said he'd be looking closer to home which of course meant Emile Heskey.

[Gregorys Boy]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

Wasn't the Platt thing a April Fools joke by Shoot?  Seem to remember one of the footie mags doing that at the time. 

Remember the Keane one as Gregory shot his month off about him not being worth the money Coventry paid for him, only for him to score one and set one up for them against us the next night.  At the time we were pretty strong up front so I don't know if he would have been worth the money or not.

[peter w]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

I think Brian Little tried to sign Danny Blind as well before deciding to play Southgate as a defender.

He even came to Villa park for talks before signing a new contract at wherever he was playing. Or was it that he returned to Holland before retiring rather than joining us from wherever it was he was playing? sure he was around 33 when he came for talks.

[FrankyH]

I remember the back of the Evening Mail proclaiming we were going to sign Hans Krankl.

[DrGonzo]

Why did we never sign Saviola, I mean we had a petition and everything...?

[peter w]

I remember the back of the Evening Mail proclaiming we were going to sign Hans Krankl.

And we tried to get him on loan. One of the top strikers in Europe at the time.

[The Left Side]

Sneijder would have been nice

[eamonn]

I just wanted one of those fancy Celta Vigo lads - Revivo, Mostovoi or McCarthy.

[pbavfckuwait]

With the Keane transfer, the money required was another 500k , which if memory serves me right, we sold Oakes the keeper to them shortly after for that amount.