David Platt's Villa Dream Team

[saunders_heroes]

he was very good for a time but I wouldn't say he was great. One of England's best players for a period too, but largely forgotten by the press and other fans. I think he was a good player in a very average England era and in the Italian league as it was dipping. He made the most of his talents certainly but not a great.

When have England been anything other than very average?

[Flamingo Lane]

Based solely on the level of his performance when he was with us I'd struggle to leave him out of a best Villa XI from the last 50 years.

[saunders_heroes]

Based solely on the level of his performance when he was with us I'd struggle to leave him out of a best Villa XI from the last 50 years.

Indeed.

[peter w]

Based solely on the level of his performance when he was with us I'd struggle to leave him out of a best Villa XI from the last 50 years.

Indeed.

Also, indeed. but he's not a great in my eyes.

[PeterWithesShin]

he was very good for a time but I wouldn't say he was great. One of England's best players for a period too, but largely forgotten by the press and other fans. I think he was a good player in a very average England era and in the Italian league as it was dipping. He made the most of his talents certainly but not a great.

When have England been anything other than very average?

And it doesn't matter how average England are, you don't score 27 England goals from midfield unless you are an excellent player. 12th place in the all-time England scorers list.

[tomd2103]

he was very good for a time but I wouldn't say he was great. One of England's best players for a period too, but largely forgotten by the press and other fans. I think he was a good player in a very average England era and in the Italian league as it was dipping. He made the most of his talents certainly but not a great.

When have England been anything other than very average?

And it doesn't matter how average England are, you don't score 27 England goals from midfield unless you are an excellent player. 12th place in the all-time England scorers list.

And came on the international scene fairly late as well. 

[garyshawsknee]

He does have a face only a mother could love, and does come across as a bit of a bell-end. But he is was one of the few world class payers we have had in my life time, kept us up single handed in his last season.

[nuninho]

Can't believe no mention of Ian Olney.  Him and Platty always linked up well.  What happened to him?

[PeterWithesShin]

Can't believe no mention of Ian Olney.  Him and Platty always linked up well.  What happened to him?

IIRC he got badly injured at Oldham, and had to go give up the pro game when he was around 27/28 to get a pay out. He was at Kiddy for a while but can't remember how he did there.

[Matt Collins]

Platt has to be in our post war II surely?

Cowans was a wonderful player too - but Im not sure he was better than gullit or bergkamp. In fact he wasn't was he?

Still a massive shame that both he, shaw and little could have gone on to have even more amazing careers

[dave shelley]

Sid had it all IMO.  Good with both feet, balanced on both too.  The ability to score from distance and six inches.  He could head it also, maybe not brilliantly but he could do it.  Wiry and sinewy and ten stone wringing wet but, hard as nails with an all-round passing ability up there with the best of them.  There haven't been many better players for us in my time watching.  If not for that broken leg I believe his England caps would have been vast.

[Pete]

Platt has to be in our post war II surely?

Cowans was a wonderful player too - but Im not sure he was better than gullit or bergkamp. In fact he wasn't was he?

Still a massive shame that both he, shaw and little could have gone on to have even more amazing careers

Better than Gullit for sure. Bergkamp? Hard to say, Sid was a midfielder/playmaker, Bergkamp had a completely different role so hard to compare. Both were wonderful players though.

Sid and Shaw had league championship and European Cup winners medals, more than 99% of pro footballers. He who walks on water won a league cup almost single handedly (an exaggeration, but you know what I mean). But I see your point. Even more illustrious careers were thwarted, I reckon, by both injury and by England managers not seeing outstanding talent staring them in the face.

[dave.woodhall]

Platt has to be in our post war II surely?

Cowans was a wonderful player too - but Im not sure he was better than gullit or bergkamp. In fact he wasn't was he?

Still a massive shame that both he, shaw and little could have gone on to have even more amazing careers

Better than Gullit for sure. Bergkamp? Hard to say, Sid was a midfielder/playmaker, Bergkamp had a completely different role so hard to compare. Both were wonderful players though.

Sid and Shaw had league championship and European Cup winners medals, more than 99% of pro footballers. He who walks on water won a league cup almost single handedly (an exaggeration, but you know what I mean). But I see your point. Even more illustrious careers were thwarted, I reckon, by both injury and by England managers not seeing outstanding talent staring them in the face.

Sid was a good player but better than Gullit? I don't think so.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

he was very good for a time but I wouldn't say he was great. One of England's best players for a period too, but largely forgotten by the press and other fans. I think he was a good player in a very average England era and in the Italian league as it was dipping. He made the most of his talents certainly but not a great.

Of course he was a great - both for Villa and England.  Outside of McGrath, he's just about the best we've had since our League/European Cup winning squad.   I'd rank him above the Barry, Yorke and Laursen who are would be in the next rank.

And the England side he played in (and captained) was far better than the England side we have now. 

[Hillbilly]

Platt or Merson?