Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: pooligan on June 09, 2011, 09:30:53 AM
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Who is the best right back you have seen at Villa. For me it would have to be John Gidman just ii front of Kenny Swain
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Chris Price.
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We haven't had too many. All our best defenders have been centre-halves. Earl Barrett.
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John Gidman.
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John Gidman by a country mile, Kenny Swain did well converting from a winger to full back. Another favourite of mine who was more defensive than Gidman was John Robson, he had a shaky start at the club but was excellent after that.
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Top 5 (since '92) Walker, Delaney, Charles, Barrett, Young.
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John Gidman, but loved Chris Price for that goal at Highbury...
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I agree, Gidman just ahead of Swain. A few solid ones since like Williams, Gage, Price, Kubicki, Barrett, Charles, Nelson and Young but Delaney was probably the best since those two for me.
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Delaney and Swain for me
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Gidman. Swain, Barret and Delaney were good too.
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I thought Chris Price and Earl Barrett were outstanding right backs I also think Delaney was really good also.
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Delaney in my time (1988 onwards) though Gary Charles was underrated in that 95/96 team.
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Can only comment from 92 onwards and for me its Mark Delaney by an absolute country mile. - Although i used to like Fernando Nelson...
Worst couple were De La Cruz and Phil Bardsley
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Giddy was the better man going forward, but Kenny was the better all-round player.
John Robertson used to give JG all sorts of problems in Villa-Forest matches; Kenny marked JR out of the game with no trouble.
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Earl Barrett. Fernando Nelson and Gary Charles were good too, look at how many goals came from Charles' crosses in 1995-96 - although Neil Cox probably would have been the best of the lot had he stayed.
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Mr Collett is correct, John Robertson, aka Twinkletum used to absolutely destroy Giddy. Truth be told he was generally better going forward than defending, although he was a natural athlete and could compensate for technical deficienciesin his defensive play.
Swain was a very average utility player - remember these were days of one sub - who Ron Saunders converted into a very fine right back. He managed to get the right balance between attacking intent and defensive nous and was a severely underrated player for us. I would choose him as the best I have seen for us, with an honorable mention to Mark Delaney who had fantastic defensive commitment and would take a couple of stitches to stop a goal.
And never, ever, let anybody forget Ken Swain's finest moment, a headed clearance off the line when a Bayern Munich side in full flow had finally found a way past Nigel Spink. I think we scored about 3 minutes later, but it could all have been so different if we had gone a goal down.
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Delaney for me
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Stan "the wham" Lynn.
Proper right back.
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If I go back to the late 60s/early 70s? Mick Wright (or 'Michael' Wright as he later preferred to be addressed).
Through the 70s and into the 80s? John Gidman and Kenny Swain.
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Kenny Swain - best all round right back in my book.
Special mention to Stan Lynn who I loved as young lad. Shot like an exocet especially from the penalty spot and once tackled they stayed tackled. He used to get the No 11 bus home after games always had time for us lads pestering him. I'd like to say he had his boots tied around his neck - but that part would be a lie.
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Gidman. No contest!
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I'm not sure John Gidman could have played against John Robertson too many times?
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Swain. Although if Our Anthony could have avoided so many injuries he could have run him close.
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Giddy of course.
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I'm not sure John Gidman could have played against John Robertson too many times?
The season Forest won the league (1977-78) they did the double over us and also beat us in the League Cup 4-2. The following season they did the double again and knocked us out the FA Cup, so I reckon Giddy was taken to the cleaners 6 times in 18 months before he scarpered to Everton. They really were an annoying bogey side for a couple of years, and not a particularly likeable team.
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The runners and riders for me are:
Giddy - excellent going forward but I have an image of him in my mind of him being turned this way and that by a winger that would get him defending.
Swain - was really a forward, and his forward play was superb also, picking out passes like the one that sent Denis through against Liverpool.
John Robson, god rest - was an excellent, athletic defender as well as good going forward, but Saunders used him in midfield and at left back also.
Gary Williams - a natural defensive player who was really a centre back, solid and I don't think I ever saw him completely murdered by a winger.
Delaney - pace got him out of a lot of trouble, often recovering from bad positional play with last-ditch tackles, ala Kyle Walker.
Barrett - another converted centre back good and solid but limited going the other way.
My vote for the perfect right back, good defensively first, and excellent crossing ability, athletic, excellent tackler and good passing, an old style right back whose specialist position and the only one I think he played in was in the no. 2 shirt, and apart from injury and playing in a poor side in his time at Villa would have had a higher profile is
Mick, Michael or Micky Wright.
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Giddy for me, but Dad would have said Stan the Wham
he reckoned he saw him put a goalie in the back of the net from a penalty
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Barrett.
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John Gidman.
When I went to Villa Park for the first time, the player I was most excited at seeing was Bruce Rioch. The two things I can actually remember are being amazed at the height that Jim Cumbes got on his drop kicks and the speed that John Gidman went down his wing, either going forward to attack or coming back.
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Gidman for me just ahead of Swain & Delaney.
Hard to believe that he didnt play a few more times for England, I also think Kenny was unlucky not to get an england cap ahead of the likes of Mick Mills who I used to think was over rated.
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I'd go for Swain.
Giddy was exciting to watch going forward, but not that great defensively.
Delaney and Barrett were decent too.
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Got to be Gidman, how much would he be worth now?, and we wouldnt have to keep playing Loanees/midfielders/centre backs/ the car park attendant at right back instead.
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Gidman, Barrett & Delaney.
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Giddo Giddo
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Gidman, Swain, Delaney. In that order.
Barrett was solid defensively and quick, but in every other regard was lacking. The first game I took my daughter to (she was about 9, knew nothing about football) featured Earl playing against Norwich. After about 30 minutes she turned to me and asked if players were supposed to pass to other players wearing the same coloured shirts. "Yes", I replied, "that's the theory". "Then why does he <points at Earl Barrett> never do it?".
Nuff said.
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Why was Barrett sold? Did he want out or did he suffer a drop in form?
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John Gidman was a brilliant attacking right back, and under rated defensively, one of my favourite all time Villa players. He was a marauder down our right side in the early seventies.
Mark Delaney might have pushed him closer if he wasn't injured every other game.
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Gidman was an exciting player to watch and also very effective. Remember being very disappointed when he was sold.
It may just be misty eyed nostalgia, but I don't recall many people getting past Stan Lynn. When he took penalties, I'd swear the goalies were trying to dive out of the way rather than trying to save it.
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Carlos Cuellar 8)
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For a one off performance an honorable mention too to Brendon Batson for his sterling work in April 1981,with as fine a through ball to Peter Withe as any that Sid or Dennis laid on all season.
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For a one off performance an honorable mention too to Brendon Batson for his sterling work in April 1981,with as fine a through ball to Peter Withe as any that Sid or Dennis laid on all season.
That moment is seared in my memory too Pat. Withe's lob over Godden took an age to go in. Hardly a chance created in 90 mins and that happens.
Full-backs are only really remembered if they're exciting going forward. Gidman was brilliant at that, so he is my No1.
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Gidman by a country mile
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My best 3 would be Swain, Gidman and Delaney. All with different attributes and strengths, but all could have played in our team now. If I had to go for just one, I think it would be Kenny Swain, marginally above the other two.
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Delaney for me too. He's Welsh and everything.
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Why was Barrett sold? Did he want out or did he suffer a drop in form?
He didn't fit in with Brian's 3-5-2.
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Habib Beye.
Please don't go.