RIP Oscar Arce

[Oscar Arce]

Hardly a Villa legend, but an unorthodox and unusual story, a bizarre time at Aston Villa when he signed under strange circumstances, I have just found out that he passed away last May. RIP Oscar.


Luis Oscar Fulloné Arce, better known as Oscar Fulloné (4 April 1939 – 22 May 2017) was an Argentine football coach and player. He played for Independiente Medellín and Real Oviedo before moving to England to play for Aston Villa in 1967. Known as Oscar Arce during his time in England he remained in the country following his retirement from playing and was a coach for both Sheffield United and Sunderland. He became manager of Swiss side FC Sion in 1980 before going on to become one of the most successful African club managers.

Career[edit]
Fulloné started his career with Estudiantes in Argentina, Independiente Medellín in Colombia and Real Oviedo in Spain.

In 1968, he joined Aston Villa F.C. of England alongside his younger brother, Hector Fulloné Arce.[1] It was reported at the time that "Oscar Arce is a wizard of ball control who was so determined to play for Aston Willa that he completed a two-year residential qualification in this country".[2] Together they played in The Central League for the reserve team during the 1968–69 season.[3] Neither brother played for the first team. In October 1969, Fulloné underwent successful surgery to have cartilage removed from his left leg.[4] Fulloné was released from his contract and Hector returned to Argentina.[5]

After retiring as a player, Fulloné became a football coach. He was appointed as youth team manager at Millwall in September 1977, reportedly turning down the opportunity to manage El Salvador at the 1977 CONCACAF Championship.[6] He was on the staff at Sheffield United F.C. between 1978 and 1979 when the club tried to sign Argentine international Diego Maradona but ultimately ended up signing Alejandro Sabella instead.[7] Fulloné was also involved in the transfer of Argentine World Cup winners Ricardo Villa and Osvaldo Ardiles to Spurs.[7]

Fulloné's managerial career began in Switzerland where he served as manager of Swiss side FC Sion between 1980 and 1981.[8] Since then he spent most of his career managing African teams, winning league titles in Ivory Coast, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia. He won the African Champions League twice in consecutive years with different clubs in ASEC and Raja Casablanca. He would go on to win the African Cup Winners' Cup with Wydad Casablanca in 2002. He was nominated by CAF for Africa-based coach of the year but lost out to Bruno Metsu.[9]

Fulloné also had a brief spell as manager of the Burkina Faso national team between September 2001 and January 2002 but left the position ahead of the 2002 Africa Cup of Naitons due to the illness of his wife who was hospitalised in Paris, France.[10][11][12]

He died in May 2017, at the age of 78, in Morocco

[SteveN]

Did he once walk round the pitch playing keepy uppy whilst giving an interview or is that apocryphal?  I remember being excited by this, for the time, exotic signing then hardly ever hearing of him again.  Did he get sent off in a pre-season friendly against Bedford(?) or is that just my poor memory?

[Villa Lew]

With Jimmy Brown and Barrie Hole playing for us, at the same time Oscar was on our books, there was a story that we had a half back line of Brown, Arce, Hole. Not quite true as Oscar never made the first team, nevertheless it always raises a laugh, when in the past I have mentioned it in my pub.

[Oscar Arce]

That's right Villa Lew, the much-mentioned 'half back' line of Brown, arce and Hole never played together, Oscar didn't play a first team game in fact.
Yes SteveN the story is that when Oscar arrived at Villa Park with a 'desire to play for Aston Villa', he'd been out of the game for two years, in fact he was running an antique shop in Dundee! Tommy Cummings was so impressed with his keepy-uppy skills (apparently this was akin to a circus act) that he signed him on the spot.
He was sent off in a pre-season friendly (or at least the referee advised the Villa to substitute him) after spitting at an opponent, after being unimpressed with the ferocity of a non-league team's tackling.

[Legion]

With Jimmy Brown and Barrie Hole playing for us, at the same time Oscar was on our books, there was a story that we had a half back line of Brown, Arce, Hole. Not quite true as Oscar never made the first team, nevertheless it always raises a laugh, when in the past I have mentioned it in my pub.

Wright Aitken Brown Arce Hole

[pooligan]

Sad to hear of the death of Oscar Arce . I remember watching him and his brother in the reserves several times  and both were very good with the ball .It never happened but i always wanted to see Aitken,Brown,Arce ,Hole in the line up .

[steamer]

I was 12 when he signed for us, I thought this was us becoming the next Galaticos, Although I never knew what it meant, or how crap we actually were then.
I also did not realise he never played a first team game.
The story about Cummings signing him is brilliant.
I had also forgotten the, Brown, Arce, Hole joke.
That is why we come here to remember, RIP Luis Oscar Arce you will always have a place in our History.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

I'm the same age as you steamer and thought the same too...Argentinian genius signs for The Villa...Villa take over the world!!!
I may have it completely wrong but the way I remember things is that he came over here with the Argentine team for the World cup, they were based in Brum and he fell in love with a local girl and was desperate to stay!
Did I imagine all that?
Perhaps it's just the romantic old fool in me!!!

RIP Oscar.

[Oscar Arce]

I'm the same age as you steamer and thought the same too...Argentinian genius signs for The Villa...Villa take over the world!!!
I may have it completely wrong but the way I remember things is that he came over here with the Argentine team for the World cup, they were based in Brum and he fell in love with a local girl and was desperate to stay!
Did I imagine all that?
Perhaps it's just the romantic old fool in me!!!

No you're right mate.
He watched the Argentine team in the World Cup and fell in love with Villa Park!
He moved to Dundee with his wife or girlfriend to run an antiques business, and 2 years later applied for a work permit which was granted.
He pitched up at Villa Park in 1968, with a 'desire to play for Aston Villa'.
He played 7 central league games, scored one goal, and the ill-fated Bedford friendly.

RIP Oscar.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Thanks Oscar!