Ulises de la Cruz

[Kevin_Yahoo]

I'm writing an article about Ulises de la Cruz (it's a kind of Where Are They Now? thing) and I want to get fans' memories about him as a player. Any memories/stories you have - good or bad - please post them here. Doesn't even have to be a story/memory as such, could just be your general view on his time at Villa Park.

I'd want to use some of the your quotes for the article, which will appear on the Yahoo Football website this month. So if you don't want your comments to be used then let me know, and they won't be. All quotes used will be credited to Heroes and Villains.

Some of you may recall I wrote something similar about Alpay last season: https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/blast-past-no-15-alpay-144758636.html

Cheers!
Kevin

[Dave P]

I remember him being presented to the fans at an Intertoto Cup game and he was wearing a white suit.

I remember a good goal he scored against Charlton.

I remember a great long distance effort against he bar he had against small heath in the game we lost 3-0.

I remember him being pretty poor overall and picking up the nickname 'Useless' De La Cruz but that may have been slightly harsh.

[curiousorange]

I recall him having a brilliant World Cup in 2006, to the extent that I wanted us to keep him despite him being mediocre to the point of infinity. Then O'Leary fucked off, O'Neill came in and I thought he'd be no great loss on our relentless march to global domination.

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

He linked up well with Angel and Solano down the right, though his defensive positioning was weak. I remember that the OPTA stats fir the last O'Leary season had him as our best passer/crosser. Not the greatest but the Useless tag was undeserved.

[CT]

I've got one really good memory of UDLC

Away at Middlesbrough, hanging on at 1-1 with ten men after diving George got Solano sent off.

Tommy Sorensen and the Villa defence had been stoic in holding Boro and in injury time we managed to break out.

UDLC took it forward and hit a shot with the outside of his foot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Peter Crouch who scored and won us the game.

Away end pandemonium followed and the end of the game saw the Villa players lined up together singing the "Pigbag" tune that we'd temporarily nicked off them.

Happy days. Feel free to use that one mate!

[Clampy]

I've got one really good memory of UDLC

Away at Middlesbrough, hanging on at 1-1 with ten men after diving George got Solano sent off.

Tommy Sorensen and the Villa defence had been stoic in holding Boro and in injury time we managed to break out.

UDLC took it forward and hit a shot with the outside of his foot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Peter Crouch who scored and won us the game.

Away end pandemonium followed and the end of the game saw the Villa players lined up together singing the "Pigbag" tune that we'd temporarily nicked off them.

Happy days. Feel free to use that one mate!

Blimey, I remember that and you're right, the away end went mental.

[Tayls_7]

He was a philanthropist and I believe funded a project for running water in his village.

[dcdavecollett]

Yes, he did.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

And sent money home monthly to help his village build schools etc.

[Stirchley Villain]

I remember sitting in the Lower Doug and some bloke calling him "Useless" for the entire match. I wanted to punch him (the bloke not DLC).

[johnny from donny]

Always thought he was a decent bloke; tried hard, although limited. Harshly treated by some fans, never deserved that useless tag.

I came on here to see if there were any updates on Tshibola, instead there's John Carew and Ulises De La Cruz. I thought I was having a life on mars moment.

[Leighton]

I remember trying to get these song started for him but got laughed at. Rightly so too.

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[Marlon From Bearwood]

I've got one really good memory of UDLC

Away at Middlesbrough, hanging on at 1-1 with ten men after diving George got Solano sent off.

Tommy Sorensen and the Villa defence had been stoic in holding Boro and in injury time we managed to break out.

UDLC took it forward and hit a shot with the outside of his foot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Peter Crouch who scored and won us the game.

Away end pandemonium followed and the end of the game saw the Villa players lined up together singing the "Pigbag" tune that we'd temporarily nicked off them.

Happy days. Feel free to use that one mate!

Blimey, I remember that and you're right, the away end went mental.

Yep. We were down the front and Crouch ran right up to us. Several Villa fans including my mate were arrested and banged up simply for celebrating with Crouch next to the advertising boards. The local police were complete bastards.

[UK Redsox]

Would be remembered as a better player if his first name had been Bob or Brian and not one easily morphed into a demeaning nickname

[Pete3206]

Absolutely. I used to hate those knobs who would shout out "useless", then look around for mob approval.