World Class Villa Players

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An idea sparked from the Terry thread; how many Villa players have you seen who were genuinely world class? Also worth a discussion a sub-group of players who, on their day, were simply unplayable and world class in a particular game or cluster of games.

In my time I think McGrath, Platt and Yorke, in that order too.

I've not benefited from seeing the European Cup winning side or players from before, but God must be one of the best players to ever play for us, if not the best.

With Yorke I always recall him being applauded off the pitch in a crazy 4-3 defeat at Sid James' Park where he bagged a hat-trick and was wrongly disallowed a 4th. He went on to play for the best Man United side there had ever been, the git.

Platt, at the time I didn't realize really what I was looking at, as it was all about eating sweets for an hour and a half at that age, but the impact he had internationally must put him up there.

[FrankyH]

Sid Cowans

[garyshawsknee]

I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.

[Villan For Life]

I think that McGrath is quite simply the best player that has worn a Villa shirt in the last 70 years. He was peerless.

Some of his predecessors were a bit special by all accounts but none of us on here would have seen them play.

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Bozzie at Sunderland in the cup was exceptional.

[Villan For Life]

I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.

Bosnich was one of a number of Villa players who could have been world class but didn't quite make it for a number of reasons. See also Shaw G (injuries) and Platt D (conveniently forgets he played for the Villa).

[rob_bridge]

McGrath, no question for the whole period he was here. Only Baresi and maybe Rijkaard were as good of his peers.

None others would have got into a best World Squad being picked at the time of say 22 players.

Yorke, Bossie and Platt came close of the others but even at the time there were a few players in their positions who were better.

[ChicagoLion]

, if it means being the best in your position in the world then I can only think of McGrath, there are very few British Irish players let alone Villa players that deserve that accolade.

Charlton Best Gascogne Moore Banks
Linekar? Beardsley ? Greaves? Robson ? Dalglish ?

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For me world class means capable of playing in the top teams in the world, club or internationally. I.e., Yorke after he left us played for the best team in Europe and excelled, so I think he qualifies as the form he showed for us did not stop.

[cdbearsfan]

I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.

Bosnich was one of a number of Villa players who could have been world class but didn't quite make it for a number of reasons. See also Shaw G (injuries) and Platt D (conveniently forgets he played for the Villa).

Platt was undoubtedly World Class for a while.

In my time watching us the ones I would class as World Class, at least for a spell, were Platt, McGrath, Yorke, Bosnich and Benteke.

[ChicagoLion]

For me world class means capable of playing in the top teams in the world, club or internationally. I.e., Yorke after he left us played for the best team in Europe and excelled, so I think he qualifies as the form he showed for us did not stop.

Yorke went on to win European Cup so that puts the 82 team up there.

[brontebilly]

Not sure 're world class but Gareth Barry left us and seamlessly became a key part in Man City winning two league titles. Very underrated player

[UK Redsox]

Luc Nilis had been world class and looked to still be close to that level for all two and a bit games of his Villa career

[passitsideways]

Too young to talk about Benteke or even Yorke, but as someone who prefers a stricter criteria for "world class" (basically, someone who you could make a proper argument for being in a 23 man World XI squad), I'd say there's been four since the turn of millenium who got remotely close to such a tag while still with us - Barry, Milner, Young, and Benteke. I'd say Barry just about reached his ceiling as a very, very good player but a couple of steps below being one of the best in his position. Young, I think, needed to add a few more dimensions to his game to make the next step but wasn't able to, neither here nor once he went to United. Milner, conceivable that he might've reached Gerrard or Lampard's level with a couple more seasons of development playing centrally but he chose to go to a place where he was always going to be limited to being a hardworking wide man. Benteke - mentality issues mostly, but a lack of support with us and then a couple of dodgy career moves didn't help.

[olaftab]

Sid Cowans

The entire European cup winning team plus Sir Brian and Andy Gray.