Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Gaztonniller on February 04, 2011, 08:42:33 PM
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You've seen em come, you've seen em go over the years. And im sure there's been many a player who cunjures up good memories at VP. But if you could just add one of those former Villa players to this current team, who would you go for?
Think Sid Cowans sitting in midfield, spraying the ball around for the likes of Young to run onto in that easy going, languid style would certainly boost the clubs climb up the table.
Thats just my opinion. Perhaps there's other area's or other former players whose presence you'd want to see in today current team.
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Sid every time
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Martin Laursen without the knee problems.
Nowadays, him and Collins would be ace at the back.
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It's difficult to know how older players would cope with the modern game. Would Pongo Waring have scored so many if he wasn't allowed to batter the opposition goalkeeper, for example? Platt would be good as we have rarely had a midfielder capable of getting 20 goals a season in the modern age, but I don't like him, so not him.
McGrath would be tempting but I wouldn't mind getting a young Gary Shaw to see how good he could have been if he hadn't got injured. Obviously, rest him every time we play Albion... just in case.
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McGrath.
Our defence could do with his presence at the moment. That's where our weak link is , thats why he is my suggestion ( well its also because he is The Greatest).
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Too much choice!
My first instinct was McGrath, best player I ever saw in a Villa short so yes it has to be him
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Sir Brian. No hesitation.
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Any one from Sid or Bruce Rioch for midfield, Paul McGrath, Martin Laursen, Alan Evans or Ken McNaugt for defence and Gerry Hitchens up front. Oh and Jimmy Rimmer in Goal. Formidable players.
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Got to be sid
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Lord McGrath as we need his vision and steel at the back or if he is in the pub, Laursen circa 2008/09
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I know he is a proper twat now but if we are talking about football only then I have to say David Platt. He scored so many goals from midfield and that is an area we have been lacking goals from since Hendrie, Taylor, Merson etc... So, I know he is a pumpkin headed Villa hating tosser but I'm going for Platt.
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Paul McGrath
and Sid, please.
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tough call Sid or God either would get us Champions league
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none of the current players are as good as the 80, 81, team, any of Shaw Cowans Morley Mortimer one be huge diffence, the only other players not in that team would be Gray, Gidman Little or Mcgrath
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Gray, Little, Deehan........best Villa forward line, full stop!?
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Dennis Mortimer in bearded pirate mode.
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McGrath
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Being from Trinidad I'd love to see Dwight play again!
Though in our current state McGrath or Staunton would be nice additions as well!
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Laursen, he is the best CB ive seen at the villa.
(i'm 19 so never got to see McGrath play)
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Tony Daley, new haircut each week.
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The best player i have seen at Villa Park is Paul McGrath so i would have to say God he would make us solid at the back which we are not at the moment and his presence would raise every other players game to another level.
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Gary Shaw.
But for a 10-12 year injury free career, instead of the little over 4 effective seasons he was able to give us.
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Bruce Rioch.
That would be the free kicks sorted.
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Would like to see God play alongside Ciaran Clark to give him the start he gave to Barry when he was young.
Would love to see Brian playing alongside Bent as well.
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Lord McGrath,with or without his dodgyknee.
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Any one from Sid or Bruce Rioch for midfield, Paul McGrath, Martin Laursen, Alan Evans or Ken McNaugt for defence and Gerry Hitchens up front. Oh and Jimmy Rimmer in Goal. Formidable players.
That's saved me from exercising my memory banks too much. Can't argue with any of these picks, although I would add Peter McParland.
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In terms of improving the team, the lord McGrath. In terms of who I'd simply love to see playing again either Dwight turning defenders inside out or the sight that first kindled my love of the villa-Tony Daley in full flight putting the fear of god into some unfortunate full back. Football at it's finest
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Staunton?!?!?!
It's got to be God.
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Dwight Yorke. Him and Bent would score shit loads together.
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Got to be Tony Daley for me.
The excitement you feel when ash is on form times by a million is how he used to make me feel when he picked up the ball on the counter attack. Simply awesome :)
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This might shock a few people but I'd take Bosnich!
There are compelling arguments for McGrath or Laursen, but I'd take Mark Bosnich in his prime to replace Brad.
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Billy Walker. Or have we got to have seen them play?
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Tony Daley for me, he would be a revelation in todays pace obsessed game where right/left backs can't defend.
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Sid
God
Taylor
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Dwight
Sid
Mortimer
Gidman
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What a great question. Undoubtedly it would be the King - Sir Brian Little;
or Sid, or God, or Dennis Mortimer, or Andy Gray, or Yorkie, or Alex Cropley, or Jimmy Rimmer, or Gary Shaw (without any injuries, what a player he would have been).
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GOD everytime, no questions asked, no matter what, he will always be my Villa hero.
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GOD everytime, no questions asked, no matter what, he will always be my Villa hero.
Well said.
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Neale Cooper.
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....not really. Sid or Sir Brian.
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Bruce Rioch at his best would be good too
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Never saw him play, but from youtube and talking to Villa fans and from this very site: Brian Little.
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Never saw him play, but from youtube and talking to Villa fans and from this very site: Brian Little.
Good man.
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Bruce Rioch - we would have someone with a more than decent chance of scoring from outside the area, no arguing about who would take free kicks around the area and a bit of nasty in midfield.
Honourable mentions to McParland, Yorke, Cowans, McGrath, Little and Sleeuwenhoek.
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Never saw him play, but from youtube and talking to Villa fans and from this very site: Brian Little.
Sadly I never saw him play either but all my family loved him and he was a hero in our house, my nan God rest her soul had a picture of him on her wall and she never went to any Villa games.
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Merse or Dublin
My first heroes at Villa.
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My first instinct was to go for Andy Gray or Brian Little in their prime then I thought Alan McInally, but I think its midfield we're a bit lightweight at the mo'.
So its a toss up between Dennis Mortimer or Sid, I think for his presence as a captain I'll go for Mortimer.
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Sir Dennis Mortimer
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My first instinct was to go for Andy Gray or Brian Little in their prime then I thought Alan McInally, but I think its midfield we're a bit lightweight at the mo'.
So its a toss up between Dennis Mortimer or Sid, I think for his presence as a captain I'll go for Mortimer.
Good call. No better leader on the field than Dennis.
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Rimmer
McGrath, Evans, McNaught, Gidman
Cowans, Cropley and Rioch
Little Gray Shaw
From that lot it has to be Sid. The lad was so gifted.
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If he could prove his form and more importantly fitness any of this lot...
Howard Spencer,James Whitehouse, Albert Evans,
James Crabtree, James Cowan, Charlie Athersmith,
John Campbell, John Devey, Fred Wheldon, John Cowan, Jack Reynolds,
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Tough one, my heart says Sir Brian of Little but my head says a defender so I'll go for Martin Laursen.
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Billy Walker. Well, that's what my dad would have said.
For me, Peter McParland. Powerful, free scoring winger who knew just where the net was.
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On the eve of what seems like a crushingly important game, to have any one of the players mentioned on this thread would be a dream come true.
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After today, i'd say Paul McGrath or Allan Evans at the back please.
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Andy Gray before he became a fat twat. Or McGrath, the best player I've seen in real life. McGrath on balance
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Ian Taylor
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What a thread. I think the fact that we're lacking in a few areas at the moment makes it harder to limit the choice to just one!
Cowans, McGrath, Platt, Staunton (first time around, obviously), Taylor and Merson stand out from my personal experiences at the Villa over the years but I'd go with God nine times out of ten, our current defence being the way it is.
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David Platt
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Got to be the lord Mcgrath for me.The best player i`ve ever seen in a Villa shirt.Made it all look so easy.
As has been said,Yorke would of been perfect for Darren Bent though
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Sid every time
Amen to that
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Tough one ............but after some thought - Des Bremner
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a goalscoring midfielder
got to be David Platt
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I've just quickly read the posts and unless I missed it, no-one seems to have mentioned 'The last piece in the jigsaw'. For me it would be Peter Withe or Dennis Mortimer for their ability and their all round influence. When everyone talks about getting the spine of the team right, i reckon an at their peak Rimmer,Mcgrath,Mortimer and Withe might give us half a chance next season.
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Given our current malaise perhaps more than one player is required. Indeed my dad and I were discussing the wholesale changes required after that load of crap last Sat. The team we came up with was something like
Hardy
Spencer Smart
Gibson Jas Cowan Leake
Athersmith Devey Hampton Walker Houghton
A formidable side who I think will take the first division by storm. Living in the past? Never
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Been watching Villa for 50 years so its a tough one. Was going to say Withe or Mortimer but then i thought of Bruce Rioch,he was some player,he just edges my vote.
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I would love to see Tony Morley in today team as he would have murder more defenders today than his time in 1980s.
If I can have five players I would have God, Howard Spencer, Gerry Hitchens, Sid, and Morley.