Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: pooligan on February 08, 2012, 05:17:07 AM
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In all the years i have been watching Villa i have seen quite a few really good headers of the ball, Dublin,Withe,Thompson,Laursen,Nicholl, Gray,Foster and Mountfield all come to mind.The one who i would say is the best however is Tony Hateley. This guy from what i can remember was useless on the floor but boy could he head a ball.Anyone agree with me?
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I would say Withe, a corner was like getting a penalty the season we won the league.Angel also had a knack of hanging in the air once he had jumped for the ball.
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Martin Laursen for me. Timing of runs and his jump were superb....
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Whilst not known primarily for his ability in the air Dwight Yorke scored two of the best headers I've ever seen in the 1995/96 season. Against Everton and Arsenal at home. Both crucial to the result and executed brilliantly.
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Hateley, by a long way. Unfortunately I remember him very well, whilst at the same time struggling to remember where I live some days.
Brilliant in the air, complete and utter bobbins on the floor. My dad reckoned he was better than anyone he'd seen in a VIlla shirt in the air and he would have started watching in the late 20s early 30s.
Having said that did not Frank Barson once score with his head from ther half way line?
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We've got Andy Andy Lochhead in the air, in the air......Andy, Andy Lochhead..........Andy Lochhead IN THE AIR !
(http://www.midlandsmemorabilia.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/andy-lochhead-aston-villa-legend-press-photo.jpg)
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Barry Bannan for me.
Does anyone remember when he found himself up against Zigic?
First time I know of that the whole stadium seemed to laugh ;D
Seriously though, all mentioned were great, but, no ones mentioned Andy Lochead
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We've got Andy Andy Lochhead in the air, in the air......Andy, Andy Lochhead..........Andy Lochhead IN THE AIR !
(http://www.midlandsmemorabilia.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/andy-lochhead-aston-villa-legend-press-photo.jpg)
Typical, must have posted at same time :)
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Tony Hateley. Power, direction, aggression.
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Macca, only player I saw head the ball over the old Trinity Rd Stand (or it looked like it from sat in that stand, maybe it only went on the roof).
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for me it is Andy Lochead with a close Allan Evans
UTV
The Doc
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Defensively, God always seemed like he had a magnet in his head that just attracted a football to it.
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Tony Hateley was magnificent in the air as already stated; and remember the ball was of a different heavier material in those days. As also stated Hateley was utter cack when the ball was on the ground. A vote for Andy Gray wouldn't go amiss, he had the ability to rise for the ball just as the defender was coming back to earth all in a split second. He was also brave too, willing to put his head in where it hurt.
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Heading for a defender is a different skill to that of a centre forward. For a striker it isn't just about winning one on one duels and getting direction and power.
Of the strikers I would put Andy Lochhead just ahead of Tony Hately, with no one else anywhere near close to those two.
Deft near post flicks, cushioned headers to colleagues - both could do it all. I'd still rate Andy the better header, he could have painted the ceiling of Sistine Chapel with his forehead.
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Heading for a defender is a different skill to that of a centre forward. For a striker it isn't just about winning one on one duels and getting direction and power.
That's something a defender needs too. Muabe not the precision of a striker, but certainly power and distance to clear it from the danger area.
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Heading for a defender is a different skill to that of a centre forward. For a striker it isn't just about winning one on one duels and getting direction and power.
Of the strikers I would put Andy Lochhead just ahead of Tony Hately, with no one else anywhere near close to those two.
Deft near post flicks, cushioned headers to colleagues - both could do it all. I'd still rate Andy the better header, he could have painted the ceiling of Sistine Chapel with his forehead.
Except Lochhead didnt score many goals Hateley most certainly did
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Heading for a defender is a different skill to that of a centre forward. For a striker it isn't just about winning one on one duels and getting direction and power.
That's something a defender needs too. Muabe not the precision of a striker, but certainly power and distance to clear it from the danger area.
I don't know about that. Look at Warnocks 2 pin point headers this season ;D
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Dublin or Laursen probably, although Alan Wright was susprisingly good in the air.
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In all the years i have been watching Villa i have seen quite a few really good headers of the ball, Dublin,Withe,Thompson,Laursen,Nicholl, Gray,Foster and Mountfield all come to mind.The one who i would say is the best however is Tony Hateley. This guy from what i can remember was useless on the floor but boy could he head a ball.Anyone agree with me?
Foster? He was all-round useless.
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Best forwards I have seen were Andy Gray (who was only 5ft 10) and Peter Withe, and defensively Shaun Teale and Martin Laursen. All of them seemed to want the ball more than anybody around them.
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Withe for me, the most accurate header of a ball I've ever seen. His flicks for Gary Shaw were as valuable as his prowess from crosses and corners.
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Having said that did not Frank Barson once score with his head from ther half way line?
35 yards, a world record that stood until late last year.
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Who remembers Garry Thompson scoring against Swindon in the second division with a header harder than anyone else could kick?
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The way my old man talks about Andy Gray, I'm surprised he didn't take penalties with his head.
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Laursen, McGrath and Teale defensively although Laursen scored more goals than either. Up front Dwight Yorke scored a remarkable amount of headers, a fair few of his in 1995-96 were headers. The best headed goal ever? Dean Saunders' second at Hillsborough 1995. Amazing goal.
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Having said that did not Frank Barson once score with his head from ther half way line?
35 yards, a world record that stood until late last year.
It was Peter Aldis who scored that one.
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(http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/9361/zzzzzlochhead.jpg)
I vote for Andy Lochhead. This one in the LCSF 2nd Leg was timed to perfection.
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Having said that did not Frank Barson once score with his head from ther half way line?
35 yards, a world record that stood until late last year.
It was Peter Aldis who scored that one.
You are both right.....Frank Barson and Peter Aldiss scored with 35yard headers. Dont know who the new record holder is though.
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Jone Samuelsen from in his own half. Record now stands at 57 metres. I'd like to have seen him try it with a soggy old case ball, it would probably have broken his neck.
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Only vague memories of Hateley and Lochead and Withe were both fantastic, but it's Andy Gray for me. Brave as a lion, power and precision, and up against much bigger blokes most of the time.
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Paul McGrath
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Hateley, then Gray, then Withe (who had the most awesome chest control too).
Hateley wasn't that bad with his feet. Against Chelsea he ran through their defence wirth the ball at his feet and smashed it into the back of their net for (I think) our second. Sadly they scored six.
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Hateley, then Gray, then Withe (who had the most awesome chest control too).
Hateley wasn't that bad with his feet. Against Chelsea he ran through their defence wirth the ball at his feet and smashed it into the back of their net for (I think) our second. Sadly they scored six.
That was the game Tambling scored 5 and was then substituted or "declared". I think Hateley went to Chelase not long after that game.
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Broke my teenage heart
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For someone who wasn't built like a brick shit house JPA was quite useful in the air,as was Yorke. Surprised no ones mentioned Carew.
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Im surprised no one mentonend Olof Melberg, great header at Old Trafford one year, could really do with him in our back line at the moment.
Derek Mountfield got his fair share of headed goals too.
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Hateley, then Gray, then Withe (who had the most awesome chest control too).
Hateley wasn't that bad with his feet. Against Chelsea he ran through their defence wirth the ball at his feet and smashed it into the back of their net for (I think) our second. Sadly they scored six.
Big Tone scored quite a few with his feet. I remember him defending a Leeds free kick when he was at Chelsea.Peter Lorimer let fly one of his guided missiles which Hateley stopped by sticking that famous head in the way.About three seconds later he collapsed onto the deck. Lorimer had the hardest shot in football and must have thought he'd killed him. Tones on You tube
at the national football place in Sheffield meeting the fans.
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David Platt.
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Andy Gray, brilliant header of a ball and not especially tall.
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My strikers would be Withe followed by Gray. As far as defenders go Laursen followed by Evans and both were dangerous up front too. Peter Withe could also lay the ball off with his chest to someone better than anyone else I've ever seen.
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Who remembers Garry Thompson scoring against Swindon in the second division with a header harder than anyone else could kick?
yep, was about to post about Thompson who had a great season and was a powerhouse in the air, his best came agains Blues at home.
slightly before my time but was Andy Gray as effective for Villa as he was for Everton? Where he only ever seemed to score with headers - usually from the most impossible of angles.
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Who remembers Garry Thompson scoring against Swindon in the second division with a header harder than anyone else could kick?
yep, was about to post about Thompson who had a great season and was a powerhouse in the air, his best came agains Blues at home.
slightly before my time but was Andy Gray as effective for Villa as he was for Everton? Where he only ever seemed to score with headers - usually from the most impossible of angles.
Yes, Gray was a lion heart in the box. As the papers commenting on his goals frequently said - "he put his head where others wouldn't put their feet."
Sad that he turned out to be a fat, opinionated, sexist pillock.
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he would "stick his head in a cement mixer to get a goal", according to TV pundits in Everton's title winning season, which he played in.
proud to say though, i read his autobiography in about 1988 - Shades of Gray, where he really did big up Villa and the city of Birmingham as well!
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It should have been utterly astonishing that Gray didn't even make the Scottish squad for the World Cup in 78, but when Gidman and Little get just two England caps between them in that era...
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Who remembers Garry Thompson scoring against Swindon in the second division with a header harder than anyone else could kick?
yep, was about to post about Thompson who had a great season and was a powerhouse in the air, his best came agains Blues at home.
slightly before my time but was Andy Gray as effective for Villa as he was for Everton? Where he only ever seemed to score with headers - usually from the most impossible of angles.
Yes, Gray was a lion heart in the box. As the papers commenting on his goals frequently said - "he put his head where others wouldn't put their feet."
Sad that he turned out to be a fat, opinionated, sexist pillock.
In 1976-77 in particular he was unbelievable and fully deserved the dual PFA awards he received that year. He was as brave as a lion, utterly committed and never gave defenders a moment's rest. He was only 5 ft 10', small for a centre forward, but seemed to want to get on the end of a cross more than any other player. His hat tricks against Ipswich and Albion that year were both stupendous. If he had remained injury free we may have finished higher than 4th.
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gray and allan evans who could play up front aswell and did on a few occasions
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I'm too young to have seen Hateley & Lochead but old enough to have seen Gray & Withe
what level (division) were the first 2 playing in, as we finished 4th in the league with Gray & won it with Withe
Gray was the best & bravest i've seen, diving headers were a speciality
I reckon Psyco Evans defending headers were poor, he often got underneath the ball, heading it upwards instead of forwards
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Hateley was when we were on our way down to division two, Lochhead when we were on our way back up to it.
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Have to agree with most that Andy Gray was the bravest header of a ball. Most players wouldn't put their foot where he would put his head. Tony Hateley was our regular centre forward when I started supporting Villa and I've just checked that he scored 68 goals - mostly headers - in 127 appearances. That works out to near enough 23 goals a season when we were constantly in or around the relegation places. I wouldn't mind a bit of that today.