Jimmy Brown

[Oscar Arce]

Jimmy Brown worked at Birmingham Leisure Centre for years, he's probably retired now though, and I saw him walking to a game at Villa Park last season or maybe the season before, and also met him at Colin Abbott's book launch.
He was indeed Villa's youngest ever player and The Doc made him skipper too, way too much pressure at such a young age which he eluded to himself, and he ended up retiring early after playing in Greece, I think.
He was a tough tackler, today he'd be described as a 'holding midfielder'.

[Dazvillain]

Loved watching him play along with Lionel MARTIN for worcester city in late 70’s early 80’s..... class

[SirSteveUK]

Jimmy Brown worked at Birmingham Leisure Centre for years, he's probably retired now though, and I saw him walking to a game at Villa Park last season or maybe the season before, and also met him at Colin Abbott's book launch.
He was indeed Villa's youngest ever player and The Doc made him skipper too, way too much pressure at such a young age which he eluded to himself, and he ended up retiring early after playing in Greece, I think.
He was a tough tackler, today he'd be described as a 'holding midfielder'.

Wiki shows him playing at Pompey (after Greece) and then lastly at Hibs

[SirSteveUK]

Bolto

Pretty sure this is correct.  I was there at his debut, lost 2-1 to Bolton on a night when Docherty dropped Charlie Aitken. I know he was dropped and not injured as he told me, he was sat in the seat behind me.

Giving your age away there Dave.

I actually saw him play myself, just after his debut.  It was against Hull and we came back from 0-2 down to win 3-2.  Can't remember anything about it though sadly.

David Rudge with the winner and i don't think i've ever seen a goal celebrated with team mates since.

I met up with Davie Rudge many years later and made the point of asking why. The players basic salary was crap in those days but under Tommy Doc the win bonuses
were huge, and that being Villas first win of the season brought them their first win bonus, cue celebration.
Jimmy Brown certainly does live around Birmingham...the last time i saw him was in the Olde Royal in Church St. a couple of years ago.

I think Charlie was dropped for the prior game - v Watford away - lost 0-3. LB was a player called Rowan ??
then Keith Bradley played against Bolton.

Win bonuses ??  They only won 7 games all season !!!!
 

[Border villan]

Saw him many years ago, after he had retired, before a home match. He was sitting quietly in the Lower Grounds (now closed as a pub) having a pint.

[dcdavecollett]

SSUK.

It was Scottish left-back Brian Rowan and, yes, he made his debut away at Watford. Typical, impetuous decision to include a young player on debut in a struggling team, which sums Docherty up well.


I went -we were awful and lost 3-0. Rowan never played again.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

SSUK.

It was Scottish left-back Brian Rowan and, yes, he made his debut away at Watford. Typical, impetuous decision to include a young player on debut in a struggling team, which sums Docherty up well.


I went -we were awful and lost 3-0. Rowan never played again.

Probably the worst Villa performance I have ever seen. Watford were down near the bottom as well and Brian Tiler somehow managed to head through his own goal from the edge of the area. We also lost 0-2 to them at home. Rowan made 12 more appearances in English football (for Watford!).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Rowan

http://www.astonvillaplayerdatabase.com/1187.html

[Oscar Arce]

I think Docherty said at the time about Rowan he was 'the new Eddie McReadie'...no pressure.
For those youngsters McReadie at the time was playing in the top flight and a full Scottish International left back.
Rowan was hopelessly out of his depth in that game, Docherty liked to hide behind young players and fell out with most of the senior players including those he fined and bombed out after a night out on a Thursday night, Hole, Edwards, Godfrey, Ferguson.

[dcdavecollett]

All this is true.

Watford's second goal. as I recall, was a forty-five yard free-kick that sailed into the net as John Dunn completely missed it!

[pooligan]

John Dunn,what a awful keeper he was .Like Nyland these days you never felt confident we would keep a clean sheet  If i remember correctly the Doc replaced Dunn soon afterwards with a another keeper called John Phillips and he was probably even worse

[Bernie]

John Dunn,what a awful keeper he was .Like Nyland these days you never felt confident we would keep a clean sheet  If i remember correctly the Doc replaced Dunn soon afterwards with a another keeper called John Phillips and he was probably even worse

57 That's brought to mind names of other goalies from around that era, Evan Williams, Tommy Hughes (the Notts County penalty saver)....

[dave shelley]

John Dunn,what a awful keeper he was .Like Nyland these days you never felt confident we would keep a clean sheet  If i remember correctly the Doc replaced Dunn soon afterwards with a another keeper called John Phillips and he was probably even worse

57 That's brought to mind names of other goalies from around that era, Evan Williams, Tommy Hughes (the Notts County penalty saver)....

Both those last two, Williams and Hughes were far, far worse than John Dunn.  I've been wracking my brains to think of a goalkeeper that made the transition from youth team to first team for us.  The closest I can come is Jake Finlay and you can't really say he was a first team regular.

[wittonwarrior]

In his book Brian Little is not overly a fan of Jimmy Brown.  it's always a gamble pushing someone forward so young.   

[PGW]

John Dunn,what a awful keeper he was .Like Nyland these days you never felt confident we would keep a clean sheet  If i remember correctly the Doc replaced Dunn soon afterwards with a another keeper called John Phillips and he was probably even worse

57 That's brought to mind names of other goalies from around that era, Evan Williams, Tommy Hughes (the Notts County penalty saver)....

Don't forget Geoff Crudgington

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

John Dunn,what a awful keeper he was .Like Nyland these days you never felt confident we would keep a clean sheet  If i remember correctly the Doc replaced Dunn soon afterwards with a another keeper called John Phillips and he was probably even worse

57 That's brought to mind names of other goalies from around that era, Evan Williams, Tommy Hughes (the Notts County penalty saver)....

Both those last two, Williams and Hughes were far, far worse than John Dunn.  I've been wracking my brains to think of a goalkeeper that made the transition from youth team to first team for us.  The closest I can come is Jake Finlay and you can't really say he was a first team regular.

I assume we don't count Spinky as he was 18 when he came to us from Chelmsford. I checked back the records of the likes of Sims, Hardy, Rutherford and a few others in the distant past, and I cannot find one that came through starting with us.
In terms of our youth system producing any goalkeeping talent at all that went onto a fruitful career elsewhere  there only seems to be Jake Findlay and Boaz Myhill.