Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 07:43:28 AM

Title: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 07:43:28 AM
Of all the first team players we've had over the years who didn't quite make it for whatever reason, can you name a decent (okay decent might be a struggle in places) first 11?

Sealey

Drobny
Bardsley
Tiler

Berson
Beinlich
Lamptey/Djembax2

Nilis

Balaban
Keane
Sutton

The good old 3313 formation.
I'm sure some of you will pull out a few diamonds. I couldn't for the life of me put Didier Agathe in that side though. Even in a side featuring Djemba and Bardsley.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: Deano's Mullet on December 07, 2013, 08:06:02 AM
Lee Butler
Ivo Stas
Paul Browne
David Unsworth
David Curtolo
Michael Boulding
Paul Mortimer
Matthias Breitkreurtz
Franz Carr
Gilles De Bilde
John Fashanu
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: Deano's Mullet on December 07, 2013, 08:09:10 AM
Of all the first team players we've had over the years who didn't quite make it for whatever reason, can you name a decent (okay decent might be a struggle in places) first 11?

Sealey

Drobny
Bardsley
Tiler

Berson
Beinlich
Lamptey/Djembax2

Nilis

Balaban
Keane
Sutton

The good old 3313 formation.
I'm sure some of you will pull out a few diamonds. I couldn't for the life of me put Didier Agathe in that side though. Even in a side featuring Djemba and Bardsley.

Berson was kick-ass on Football Manager 2004-05 season!
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: The Man With A Stick on December 07, 2013, 09:44:33 AM
I remember seeing Beinlich and Breitkreutz play for the reserves when they put seven past Liverpool and thinking they were both destined for greatness with us.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: Yossarian on December 07, 2013, 09:55:16 AM
They both went on to be massively successful in Germany. Why did we let them go?
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 10:22:46 AM
Of all the first team players we've had over the years who didn't quite make it for whatever reason, can you name a decent (okay decent might be a struggle in places) first 11?

Sealey

Drobny
Bardsley
Tiler

Berson
Beinlich
Lamptey/Djembax2

Nilis

Balaban
Keane
Sutton

The good old 3313 formation.
I'm sure some of you will pull out a few diamonds. I couldn't for the life of me put Didier Agathe in that side though. Even in a side featuring Djemba and Bardsley.

Berson was kick-ass on Football Manager 2004-05 season!
Berson was always a staple on Pro Evo too. Good to start and always developed well in master league.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 10:23:47 AM
I'd completely forgotten about Unsworth. Surprising as I actually saw him play in one of the few matches he appeared in. Pre season friendly against Wycombe.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: dave.woodhall on December 07, 2013, 11:24:56 AM
They both went on to be massively successful in Germany. Why did we let them go?

They wanted to.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: PeterWithe on December 07, 2013, 12:58:55 PM
Breitkruitz didn't go on to be anything special did he? despite being the better of the two in his time here in my opinion.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: UK Redsox on December 07, 2013, 01:07:07 PM
Slot in Najwan Ghrayib at left back for a more balanced defence.

The legend that was Mark Kinsella is just ineligible for this team.

Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: Deano's Mullet on December 07, 2013, 01:09:13 PM
I remember Beinlich actually scored for us up at Newcastle after we won the Coca-Cola Cup, we were smashed by four or five, Andy Cole broke a scoring record in that game by getting 40+ goals in a season I think. Anyway, Beinlich I recall ended up at Hansa Rostock and scored a fair few goals for them.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 01:21:48 PM
Leonhardsen also just qualifies with 19 appearences (league). He chipped in with a few goals too. That said, he was well past his best when he joined and utterly forgettable. Slightly more productive than Kinsella was though.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 01:23:18 PM
I was wondering how close Ulises De La Cruz came to qualifying for this, and was completely shocked to see he'd registered 89 games for us. I honestly can't remember many.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: UK Redsox on December 07, 2013, 01:26:30 PM
How about Joey Gudjonsson ?
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: Deano's Mullet on December 07, 2013, 01:32:36 PM
Garry Penrice racked up 20 apps exactly. Guy Whittingham made 35 but I liked him as a player.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 02:56:08 PM
How about Joey Gudjonsson ?

Yeah he was well under 20 games. I recall he did alright when he was here. He liked to get stuck in and we kind of lacked that. I just think the Red Card in the derby game has tarnished his time here. As it was Gavin McCann came in shortly after and was much better at that mopping shit up role.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on December 07, 2013, 03:00:16 PM
Kyle Walker at right back has got to be better than Bardsley!
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 07, 2013, 05:55:10 PM
Kyle Walker at right back has got to be better than Bardsley!
Yes. Forgot about him.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearences) Villa XI
Post by: SashasGrandad on December 07, 2013, 06:01:10 PM
I'd completely forgotten about Unsworth. Surprising as I actually saw him play in one of the few matches he appeared in. Pre season friendly against Wycombe.

I wonder if his wife still wipes his arse.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: E I Adio on December 07, 2013, 11:52:17 PM
After much head scratching I offer this rag bag of assorted under 20 appearances Villa misfits, one or two of whom in my youthful naivety I actually quite rated.

Bosko Balaban
Terry Bullivant
Neil Rioch
Wayne Routledge
Eirik Bakke
The Djemba twins
Malcolm Beard
Marlon Harewood
Freddie Mwela
John Fashanu
Graham Fenton
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: villan from luton on December 08, 2013, 12:57:22 AM
Not too much thought but here goes

Graham Moseley
Kyle Walker
Chris Sutton (was a top centre half)
Charlie Young
Ghariyab (sp)
Lamptey
Bullivant
David Hughes (what happened to him?)
Didier Six
Nillis
Keane
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: PGW on December 08, 2013, 01:04:19 AM
David Hughes left us for Shrewsbury (46 games) then on to Cardiff (14) and Port Talbot town (1) and then managed Barry Town 2003-4. No idea what he is up to now.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: PGW on December 08, 2013, 01:07:59 AM
David Hughes left us for Shrewsbury (46 games) then on to Cardiff (14) and Port Talbot town (1) and then managed Barry Town 2003-4. No idea what he is up to now.
According to Wikipedia he is now Youth coach at Watford.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: beness on December 08, 2013, 06:27:57 AM
I saw Ivo stach (spelling) play for us. think it was Redditch.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Deano's Mullet on December 08, 2013, 07:58:29 AM
After much head scratching I offer this rag bag of assorted under 20 appearances Villa misfits, one or two of whom in my youthful naivety I actually quite rated.

Bosko Balaban
Terry Bullivant
Neil Rioch
Wayne Routledge
Eirik Bakke
The Djemba twins
Malcolm Beard
Marlon Harewood
Freddie Mwela
John Fashanu
Graham Fenton

Graham Fenton played  30 league games for us. I know because he was one of the names I went for originally when I did my list. Same with Harewood, 29 apps.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Dave Cooper please on December 08, 2013, 11:20:41 AM
Can I add in Fabio Ferrarasi (the steering wheel of creation apparently), John McGrath and Neil Tennant.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Damo70 on December 08, 2013, 11:30:55 AM
I saw Ivo stach (spelling) play for us. think it was Redditch.

I saw him play and 'score' for us at Witney Town. I think BFR had some coaching connections with them from his time at Oxford. The goal was given but I'm pretty sure it went in through the side of the net. I managed to have a chat with Kevin Richardson on the touchline after he was subbed. You've probably guessed it was a pretty relaxed and low key friendly.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: dave shelley on December 08, 2013, 03:50:57 PM
Ladies and Gentlemen; I give you...Wilson Briggs.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: PGW on December 08, 2013, 05:31:50 PM
Ladies and Gentlemen; I give you...Wilson Briggs.
I would have put my wallet on him playing more than 2 games but 2 it was....that surprised me.

The wallet is empty.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: PGW on December 08, 2013, 05:33:52 PM
Stick Jake Findlay in goal....better than most mentioned.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: knowsleyvillain on December 08, 2013, 10:09:27 PM
Was at that game also damo70 can not remember much about it but do remember Ivo Stas playing in it & the ground being tiny.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Damo70 on December 09, 2013, 02:08:46 PM
Was at that game also damo70 can not remember much about it but do remember Ivo Stas playing in it & the ground being tiny.

My memories of it are no stands of any description, just a pitch and a building which housed the changing rooms and bar.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Dave Cooper please on December 09, 2013, 05:06:46 PM
I saw Ivo stach (spelling) play for us. think it was Redditch.

I saw him play and 'score' for us at Witney Town. I think BFR had some coaching connections with them from his time at Oxford. The goal was given but I'm pretty sure it went in through the side of the net. I managed to have a chat with Kevin Richardson on the touchline after he was subbed. You've probably guessed it was a pretty relaxed and low key friendly.

The game was played to officially open their new ground. Villa won 7-1, Yorke got a couple if I recall correctly.

Witney Town folded earlier this year. Their nickname was The Blanketmen, I have no idea why.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: tommy smart on December 09, 2013, 09:38:30 PM
How could we forget Oscar Arce
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Chico Hamilton III on December 10, 2013, 03:31:53 PM
Could we fit Frank McAvennie in the team, based on his peformances for every other club he played for?
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: ADVILLAFAN on December 10, 2013, 04:42:45 PM
Richard Walker up front, had no pace. Did Luke Moore play over 20 games for us?

Postma was pretty poor, but a decent shot-stopper. Better than Carson or Schmeichel were for us though.

Did Brian McClair ever actually play for us? How many games did Paul Rideout have for us?

Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Damo70 on December 10, 2013, 05:16:09 PM
I googled Paul Rideout to see how close I was with my guess of 50 Villa appearances. Considering he ended up playing in the states it was a bit spooky that the first thing that came up was an obituary in an American newspaper for what turned out to be another Paul Rideout.  I was close, he made 54 apps scoring 19 goals. I'm guessing McClair would count even though he never played a game as he was on our books. But under that criteria DJ Campbell would also qualify.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: E I Adio on December 11, 2013, 12:45:47 AM
How could we forget Oscar Arce

Well why not? 0 appearances is less than 20.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Flamingo Lane on December 12, 2013, 12:11:45 PM
Mike Pejic would have to be left back.  He looked a real class act in 79/80 under Ron Saunders, but had to retire through injury after just 12 appearances.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Brend'Watkins on December 12, 2013, 12:30:30 PM
What about that former player somebody met at Stoke a few years back.  He was in the Championship winning squad too.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: dave shelley on December 12, 2013, 12:47:42 PM
Barry Lynch, two appearances during the sixties.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 12, 2013, 03:06:50 PM
Richard Walker up front, had no pace. Did Luke Moore play over 20 games for us?

Postma was pretty poor, but a decent shot-stopper. Better than Carson or Schmeichel were for us though.

Did Brian McClair ever actually play for us? How many games did Paul Rideout have for us?


Luke Moore played 87 games. ;)

Stefan on the other hand was comfortably under 20 I'm sure. Cracking goal against Charlton IIRC. Probably the highlight of his career.

EDIT- Stefan played 22 times. Surprised.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Damo70 on December 12, 2013, 03:53:32 PM
Alan Mcloughlin had a pretty good career with Swindon, Portsmouth, Southampton and Ireland. I think he played just the once for us on loan at Coventry in the Zenith cup. I was there that night and I'm pretty sure Terry Butcher got sent off. Malcolm Allen was another international loanee who I would guess played four or five games for us.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: cheltenhamlion on December 12, 2013, 06:03:21 PM
Jermaine Jenas
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Chris Jameson on December 20, 2013, 10:43:01 AM
Terry Donovan 17 appearances, 6 goals including two against Valur in our European Cup winning campaign. A lovely bloke too!
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: pauliewalnuts on December 21, 2013, 12:40:56 AM
Gawd bless Les Sealey. No age to die.

To fully understand how fucking mental he was, you had to see him playing for the reserves, so you could hear him.

He was a more than decent goalkeeper, though. Not many characters like him in the game these days.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: the-farmer on December 22, 2013, 10:10:47 AM
Gawd bless Les Sealey. No age to die.

To fully understand how fucking mental he was, you had to see him playing for the reserves, so you could hear him.

He was a more than decent goalkeeper, though. Not many characters like him in the game these days.

About 78/79 the junior team I was in had a trip to Ryton to watch Coventry train.
The one thing I remember is watching Les or should I say listening to Les swearing his head off. He gave us influential 10/11 year olds a fit of the giggles.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 22, 2013, 07:44:06 PM
We have to find place for that lad who played about 10 mins at Manure when we were relegated. Ritchie? That has to be pretty nailed on to be the shortest ever Villa career.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: nick harper on December 23, 2013, 01:52:41 PM
We have to find place for that lad who played about 10 mins at Manure when we were relegated. Ritchie? That has to be pretty nailed on to be the shortest ever Villa career.

Stuart Ritchie.

Charlie Young - played in the 5-1 in Dec '76 but not many others I don't think.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: ADVILLAFAN on December 23, 2013, 03:29:29 PM
Kevin Keelan, the GK who played for Norwich in the 1975 League Cup Final against us, only played 5 times for us. Was apparently a pretty decent player.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: dave shelley on December 23, 2013, 05:50:20 PM
He was.  Gave good service to Norwich.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: ADVILLAFAN on December 24, 2013, 09:25:21 AM
He was.  Gave good service to Norwich.

Keelan (Jesus) saves,  but Graydon nets the rebound....
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: supertom on December 24, 2013, 12:28:27 PM
Gawd bless Les Sealey. No age to die.

To fully understand how fucking mental he was, you had to see him playing for the reserves, so you could hear him.

He was a more than decent goalkeeper, though. Not many characters like him in the game these days.
I remember the game when Les made his West Ham debut coming on as an outfield player. He was a good keeper and it's a shame he had to play second fiddle so often in his career. 459 appearences isn't too shabby but it should have been more really, for a career in excess of 20 years.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Legion on December 24, 2013, 06:17:35 PM
Nii Lamptey.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: b23 on December 24, 2013, 06:24:28 PM
Joseph Ward.

Im sure i saw him play at Man. Utd.

Scottish striker. 2/3 appearances ? Zero goals ?

Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Pat McMahon on December 24, 2013, 09:54:48 PM
Joseph Ward.

Im sure i saw him play at Man. Utd.

Scottish striker. 2/3 appearances ? Zero goals ?



IIRC he came on in a 1-1 away draw around 1978
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: *shellac* on January 05, 2014, 01:58:10 AM
Neil Tennant
He found greener pastures in Smash Hits and Pet Shop Boys.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Dave Cooper please on January 05, 2014, 08:23:49 AM
Neil Tennant
He found greener pastures in Smash Hits and Pet Shop Boys.

Oops! I of course meant Neil Tarrant. Came from Ross County after scoring a shed-load in Scotland and did bugger all before going back to Scotland and then embarking on a grand tour of North-East non-league teams.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: nigel on January 05, 2014, 05:58:50 PM
Stick Jake Findlay in goal....better than most mentioned.

Without doubt.

I always thought Sealey played more than 20, according to Wiki it was only 18.
Title: Re: The All Time (under 20 appearances) Villa XI
Post by: Holte L2 on January 06, 2014, 12:26:14 PM
David Hughes.

I thought he was destined for greatness.
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