Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Hookeysmith on July 24, 2012, 09:33:38 AM
-
Looking at some of the rgeat footage from the Little era i wondered where some of the players were now
Fernando Nelson - President of a Portugese amatuer side
Mark Draper - last recorded as kit man at Notts County
Alan Wright - Manager at Northwich Victoria
Savo Milosovic - Assistant coach to Montenegro national side
Watching a few of those old games made me realise just what a great little player Alan Wright was
-
Alan Wright was a really underated player.
Unfortunately his size did hamper his progress, IMO for two seasons he was the best English left back but was never given the cap he derserved.
-
Super Tommy Johnson was a coach at Notts County last I heard. I doubt there's any of that team whose behaviour has been quite as strange as Sasa Curcic though.
-
Super Tommy Johnson was a coach at Notts County last I heard. I doubt there's any of that team whose behaviour has been quite as strange as Sasa Curcic though.
Gary Charles.
-
What ever happened to that Dwight Yorke fellow? He didn't really do anything after leaving Villa, did he?
-
Collymore and Southgate have got half decent media careers,didn't Southgate just quit his f.a role?
I presume its only Lee Hendrie who's still playing?
-
Super Tommy Johnson was a coach at Notts County last I heard. I doubt there's any of that team whose behaviour has been quite as strange as Sasa Curcic though.
Gary Charles.
Shitting in your own car is quite bad I agree, but I think you can put that down to classic alcoholic behaviour. Curcic's behaviour has just been very odd.
-
Super Tommy Johnson was a coach at Notts County last I heard. I doubt there's any of that team whose behaviour has been quite as strange as Sasa Curcic though.
Gary Charles.
Shitting in your own car is quite bad I agree, but I think you can put that down to classic alcoholic behaviour. Curcic's behaviour has just been very odd.
It was a shame that Gary Charles had those problems, as he had the talent to be a top player. I remember the wing-back role suited him particularly well and that he was a good crosser of the ball.
Wonder what Savo is up to these days?
-
Wonder what Savo is up to these days?
Assistant coach with the Montenegro national team.
-
Uhmm, excuse my ignorance - what's Sasa been up to?
-
Sasa was a lovely fella, but completely loony tunes.
-
Alan Wright was quality. I remember he had quite a leap on him too. He'd sometimes beat a few 6 footers in the air to their bewilderment. He was a really solid 7/10 minimum every game. The odd screamer too.
-
Alan Wright was quality. I remember he had quite a leap on him too. He'd sometimes beat a few 6 footers in the air to their bewilderment. He was a really solid 7/10 minimum every game. The odd screamer too.
Agree Tom. He was the solid, no-nonsense kind of pro that you rarely see these days in the Premier League. If I remember correctly he was regularly picked ahead of Steve Staunton during that period which speaks volumes about him really. One of my favourite moments involving him was during a game at Old Trafford sometime in the 90's. The ball broke between Alan Wright and a Man Utd player (think it might have been Butt) and they had a proper 50/50 challenge. Wright absolutey smashed him (fairly of course) and left him in a heap on the touchline.
-
When you look back at videos of the Little era, especially the year we finished 4th, you'll see what a great player Gary Charles really was. Part of a very good defence and involved in lots of goals. I don't think we've had a better right back since.
-
When you look back at videos of the Little era, especially the year we finished 4th, you'll see what a great player Gary Charles really was. Part of a very good defence and involved in lots of goals. I don't think we've had a better right back since.
Agree with that Rissbert. I think Earl Barrett was probably a better defender than Gary Charles, but Charles was better on the ball and was good going forward. I would also put him above the likes of Mark Delaney and Luke Young.
-
Paul McGrath is busy keeping the universe in order I believe.
-
When you look back at videos of the Little era, especially the year we finished 4th, you'll see what a great player Gary Charles really was. Part of a very good defence and involved in lots of goals. I don't think we've had a better right back since.
Agree with that Rissbert. I think Earl Barrett was probably a better defender than Gary Charles, but Charles was better on the ball and was good going forward. I would also put him above the likes of Mark Delaney and Luke Young.
I'd say Charles was the most under-rated player I can remember. The team were never the same after his injury.
-
Funny how fondly we think back on Charles and Wright and yet I remember them (especially Charles) getting a lot of stick as club scapegoats at the time.
-
Charles was pretty quick. Decent player. For that one season he was excellent. We had two of the most consistent fullbacks as well as Southgate who Little turned into one of the best centre halves in the top flight. Even in 95-96, God was still pretty solid, even if the knees were really starting to give out on him.
The midfield 3 of Taylor, Draper and Townsend was superb. A really good balance of technique, passing ability and physical presence too. Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper and linking play as well.
I wish it was 1996.
:)
-
Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper.
So I've heard.
-
Charles was pretty quick. Decent player. For that one season he was excellent. We had two of the most consistent fullbacks as well as Southgate who Little turned into one of the best centre halves in the top flight. Even in 95-96, God was still pretty solid, even if the knees were really starting to give out on him.
The midfield 3 of Taylor, Draper and Townsend was superb. A really good balance of technique, passing ability and physical presence too. Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper and linking play as well.
I wish it was 1996.
:)
You missed out Bozzie between the sticks!! I think one of the reasons the 3-5-2 formation worked so well for us that season was that Charles and Wright played the wing-back roles really well. I recall it being a popular formation at the time, but not all full-backs or wide players could adjust to playing wing-back. Fernando Nelson was an example of that. Charles and Wright were solid defensively as wing-backs , but were also decent going forward, so suited the role well.
-
Charles was pretty quick. Decent player. For that one season he was excellent. We had two of the most consistent fullbacks as well as Southgate who Little turned into one of the best centre halves in the top flight. Even in 95-96, God was still pretty solid, even if the knees were really starting to give out on him.
The midfield 3 of Taylor, Draper and Townsend was superb. A really good balance of technique, passing ability and physical presence too. Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper and linking play as well.
I wish it was 1996.
:)
You missed out Bozzie between the sticks!! I think one of the reasons the 3-5-2 formation worked so well for us that season was that Charles and Wright played the wing-back roles really well. I recall it being a popular formation at the time, but not all full-backs or wide players could adjust to playing wing-back. Fernando Nelson was an example of that. Charles and Wright were solid defensively as wing-backs , but were also decent going forward, so suited the role well.
Bozzie was fantastic that year. Forgot to mention big Ugo as well. He was unlucky over the course of a couple of seasons not to play more for England. It was almost like the England managers didn't want more than one Villa player in the back line and Southgate was the chosen one. Then again centre-back was where the country had a lot of strength in depth.
-
There was so much attacking intent in Little's side. Sometimes you forget that and tend to think of it as being based mainly on a really mean defence and only realise how much attacking flair we had when you watch back the old footage. We were creative in the centre of midfield, especially when Johnson slotted in and Taylor was always a goal threat in support of the quality Yorke/Milosevic partnership.
Compare that to the dire stuff we served up last year.
-
I was sad to see Tommy Johnson go.
He could have done very well for us.
-
Funny how fondly we think back on Charles and Wright and yet I remember them (especially Charles) getting a lot of stick as club scapegoats at the time.
That's exactly how I remember them. They were the scapegoats of the team who got stick left right and centre from the fans.
-
I certainly remember Charles getting a lot of stick, being made a scapegoat.
We had a good team that era. Then SVC joined...
-
I certainly remember Charles getting a lot of stick, being made a scapegoat.
We had a good team that era. Then SVC joined...
Wright got tons of abuse. Not as much as Charles though. I don't think you can blame our demise on Collymore though. Little lost the plot around that time anyway.
-
I certainly remember Charles getting a lot of stick, being made a scapegoat.
We had a good team that era. Then SVC joined...
Wright got tons of abuse. Not as much as Charles though. I don't think you can blame our demise on Collymore though. Little lost the plot around that time anyway.
I think Little needed Gregory with him. He tended to be introspective whereas Gregory was a neat counterbalance, or so they say.
-
One thing I noticed when watching the footage of those old Little sides was how well the ball was passed around. There was a patient build up and a willingness to get the ball back as soon as possession was lost - it really does look pretty contemporary.
-
There was so much attacking intent in Little's side. Sometimes you forget that and tend to think of it as being based mainly on a really mean defence and only realise how much attacking flair we had when you watch back the old footage. We were creative in the centre of midfield, especially when Johnson slotted in and Taylor was always a goal threat in support of the quality Yorke/Milosevic partnership.
Compare that to the dire stuff we served up last year.
Forget last year, we haven't had a side as good since that team. We've seen a few glimpses under Gregory but nothing comes close to Brian Little's side. They really were a joy to watch at times. Stu mentions the patient build up but there was a purpose to our passing, a constant willingness to receive the ball, great movement with players opening up space.
That team led by Little, Evans and Gregory knew what modern football was all about.
-
What ever happened to that Dwight Yorke fellow? He didn't really do anything after leaving Villa, did he?
Not according to my mum. She's convinced he played no part in Man Yoo's trophy haul.
-
I'm amazed at the amount of love for Gary Charles on here.
I thought he was atrocious.
-
One thing I noticed when watching the footage of those old Little sides was how well the ball was passed around. There was a patient build up and a willingness to get the ball back as soon as possession was lost - it really does look pretty contemporary.
Quite right. There was one game - one goal even - that stands out as a prime example of that team's ability: Tommy Johnson's goal to put us two up against Middlesbrough just after Christmas (might even have been New Year's Day). We pinged the ball around for ages, must have been at least fifty passes which dragged Boro all over the place, then a quick ball in to Tommy who brought it down brilliantly to smash it into the far corner. A proper team goal, I thought it was one of the goals of the season. That team passed the ball brilliantly and regularly dominated possession. Always thought Charles was the weak link though, to be honest...
-
I'm amazed at the amount of love for Gary Charles on here.
I thought he was atrocious.
If you get the chance have a look at the season review and see how many goals he laid on.
-
I'm amazed at the amount of love for Gary Charles on here.
I thought he was atrocious.
We must be in a minority of two as I thought the same.
-
For me, Charles was made to play as a wing back.Was'nt the best crosser, and got a lot of stick for that reason, but played the position almost to perfection.
I was never a fan of Alan Wright tbh
-
Gary Charles was a brilliant right/wing back. As Dave says, look at videos from that era and you'll see just how good he was.
-
There was so much attacking intent in Little's side. Sometimes you forget that and tend to think of it as being based mainly on a really mean defence and only realise how much attacking flair we had when you watch back the old footage. We were creative in the centre of midfield, especially when Johnson slotted in and Taylor was always a goal threat in support of the quality Yorke/Milosevic partnership.
Compare that to the dire stuff we served up last year.
Forget last year, we haven't had a side as good since that team. We've seen a few glimpses under Gregory but nothing comes close to Brian Little's side. They really were a joy to watch at times. Stu mentions the patient build up but there was a purpose to our passing, a constant willingness to receive the ball, great movement with players opening up space.
That team led by Little, Evans and Gregory knew what modern football was all about.
Completely agree, some of our attacking play was amazing at times. I remember when we scored after 10 seconds against Coventry, it was as brilliant a goal as you're ever going to see. Draper at his best was some midfielder.
-
I love that goal against Cov. Always loved the Cov fan behind the goal, as the ball hits the net his head drops straight into hands.
Also it can never be said enough, that goal on opening day against the Mancs. From our own penalty are to the back of the net in about 30 seconds. If memory serves me right the ball never left the floor. Had they scored it I bet it would still get wheeled out now and again.
-
I'm amazed at the amount of love for Gary Charles on here.
I thought he was atrocious.
We must be in a minority of two as I thought the same.
I always thought he had potential to be an attacking midfielder. He came up short in the defensive department in my opinion.
-
what was the reason for draper's collapse of form? seem to remember him as a fine player under Little but soon drifted out of the team totally under gregory