Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Steve kirk on January 05, 2015, 08:55:57 PM
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Our Charlie Aitken is 73 today, a very Happy Birthday to one of my early heroes 659 games in total for his beloved Villa.
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I saw his debut against Sheffield Wednesday. Johnny Dixon's last game before retirement. Happy Birthday Charlie you never got the international recognition you deserved.
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Happy birthday Charlie.
One of my all time Villa heroes.
Agree ds - how was he never a fixture in the Scottish team for years?
Saw him at VP not long ago and he looked very sprightly.
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Didn't he have a shop in Olton or Acock's Green after he retired?
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Just thinking about Charlie here and, it's a pity in a way he was born five or so years too early. He just missed out on the real post-war glory years for us. He was definitely part of the renaissance culminating in a league cup win before moving on. I am so glad he has something tangible to look back on for his long, loyal service to Aston Villa.
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A professional and a gentleman. Happy birthday Charlie and many more of them.
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Happy birthday to our record appearance holder.
Like Ron Saunders I honestly thought he was older than that.
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Happy birthday Charlie. One of my all time Villa greats.Not the greatest player but gave everything he had and was better than given credit for.I can see him now with his dark black hair making sure whoever the winger he was up against did not get past.
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Somebody may correct me but i remember a goal he scored running from inside the Villa half with the ball, i think it was against Derby County.
Great defender and Villa through and through,although as a Kid Johny Dixon was my favourite always treated Refs with great respect.
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Happy birthday Charlie.
One of my favourite players and the best left back I've seen at the Villa.
Found out recently that he lived just up the road from my in-laws in Bercot.
I was told that even back then he watched his diet of food and drink, which I reckon was quite rare in the 60's and 70's. Probably why he was able to go on for so long.
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Mick Wright and Charlie Aitken. A full back pairing that reeked of class. Was at his first and last game. I remember Billy Walkers wife presenting him with a silver salver or something like that. The only one of Mercers Minors who lasted the course.
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Whenever fans of other teams mention great servants I immediately tell them about Charlie Aitken - joined at 17 and played for 17 years - never gave less than his all - a true Villa Legend
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Happy birthday Charlie, met him down heathrow about a year ago what a nice bloke, he was shocked that i knew who he was.
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Didn't he have a shop in Olton or Acock's Green after he retired?
Yes, a jewellers shop in Acocks Green - I remember seeing him in there quite often when passing during the 80's.
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Happy birthday Charlie!
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Happy Birthday Mr Aitken
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Happy birthday, Charlie. A true Villan and a gent.
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I saw his debut against Sheffield Wednesday. Johnny Dixon's last game before retirement. Happy Birthday Charlie you never got the international recognition you deserved.
Makes me wonder what's the fewest number of players you'd need, to have overlapped appearances, to go back to our first ever game? If I had more time on my hands etc etc.
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Gabby/Barry/Yorke would take you to 1990.
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And assuming Sid counts with his spells away that takes you to early 1976 with 4 players. If i've worked it out right.
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And looking it up, Sid missed playing with Aitken by 1 game! He made his first appearance as sub the game after Aitken's last.
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Happy Birthday Charlie
Legend
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Happy birthday legend, thanks for the memories.
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Gabby/Barry/Yorke would take you to 1990.
How long was Allan Evans at Villa?
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Happy Birthday Charlie. I went to a Lions Cub Q&A back in the day in a working mens club in Brownhills. Charlie was a guest along with Jimmy Cumbes. Someone bought Charlie a pint of mild and he reluctantly accepted, saying that a half would have been more than adequate. A tremendous professional and servant to the club. Who will be the next one?
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He is still here every match. Happy Birthday Mr Atkin.
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I remember refereeing a Villa Old Stars match once when Charlie played, he was a good while retired at that stage, circa late eighties. Someone, I can't remember who, played a ball for Charlie to run on to and, the pace he still had then. He didn't quite make it and, as he run back to his position he passed me and with a typical wry smile said "Christ! I wasn't that quick in my prime". He was still faster than anyone else on the pitch and that included the youngsters he was playing against.
Another thing I remember about Charlie was during the warm-up prior to kick-off in a pre-sea on friendly agains Walsall, he smacked the ball directly into the knackers of, I don't remember who, who fell directly to the ground groaning. Again, with that wry smile Charlie just walked past him without a word or a glance and retrieved the ball.
I could go on. Aston Villa are very fortunate in that Charlie Aitken was another in a long line of players to represent the club who could genuinely be described as, gentleman.
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Gabby/Barry/Yorke would take you to 1990.
How long was Allan Evans at Villa?
1977- 89.
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I'm sure Villa were his only professional club?
I don't remember him playing elsewhere after he left/retired.
As has been said, A true Legend
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I'm sure Villa were his only professional club?
I don't remember him playing elsewhere after he left/retired.
As has been said, A true Legend
New York Cosmos. He deserved that one.
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Didn't someone really famous also play for New York Cosmos. Who was it now?
Just remembered.....Steve Hunt!
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Didn't someone really famous also play for New York Cosmos. Who was it now?
Just remembered.....Steve Hunt!
Plus Franz Beckenbauer, of whom their owner allegedly said "Tell the Kraut to get his ass up front. We don't pay him to fanny around in defence."
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Thought it was going to be pisstake about n'zogbia.
Led hope we don't buy him a birthday cake
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And assuming Sid counts with his spells away that takes you to early 1976 with 4 players. If i've worked it out right.
Spink/Hendrie/Gabby appears to get you back to Boxing Day 1979 in three moves.
Assuming Dixon/Aitken is the quickest way to go from 1946 to 1976, then Gidman looks to be all you need to fill that gap.
So, staggeringly, you can go all the way back to the first game after the second world war in just six players.
Eric Houghton finished his career in 1946, having started in 1927. And Billy Walker gets you from January 1920 to 1933. Harry Hampton covers 1904 to 1920. Howard Spencer covers 1892 to 1907. Gersham Cox (me neither) gets you from 1878 to 1893.
Wikipedia goes blank before this point, but working on the assumption that one player could potentially get you from our first ever game to 1878, the list would be (without checking that they definitely overlapped):
?????>Cox>Spencer>Hampton>Walker>Houghton>Dixon>Aitken>Gidman>Spink>Hendrie>Agbonlahor.
12 players, from Gabby Agbonlahor to the team that were formed under a gaslight.
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And assuming Sid counts with his spells away that takes you to early 1976 with 4 players. If i've worked it out right.
Spink/Hendrie/Gabby appears to get you back to Boxing Day 1979 in three moves.
Assuming Dixon/Aitken is the quickest way to go from 1946 to 1976, then Gidman looks to be all you need to fill that gap.
So, staggeringly, you can go all the way back to the first game after the second world war in just six players.
Eric Houghton finished his career in 1946, having started in 1927. And Billy Walker gets you from January 1920 to 1933. Harry Hampton covers 1904 to 1920. Howard Spencer covers 1892 to 1907. Gersham Cox (me neither) gets you from 1878 to 1893.
Wikipedia goes blank before this point, but working on the assumption that one player could potentially get you from our first ever game to 1878, the list would be (without checking that they definitely overlapped):
?????>Cox>Spencer>Hampton>Walker>Houghton>Dixon>Aitken>Gidman>Spink>Hendrie>Agbonlahor.
12 players, from Gabby Agbonlahor to the team that were formed under a gaslight.
*anorak alert* If you want overlapping appearances rather than careers, Harry Hampton's last game was the one before Billy Walker's and Nigel Spink made his debut after John Gidman left. Gersham Cox left two seasons before Howard Spencer's debut.
Archie Hunter was playing from about 1877 until 1890 so he will almost certainly have played in the same team as one of the First XI. He played with Jas Cowan, who played with Billy George, who played with Hampton, who played with Dicky York, who played with Houghton. Then you'd go Dixon, Aitken, Brian Little (last game March 1980), Spink, Hendrie, Gabby.
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I'm sure Villa were his only professional club?
I don't remember him playing elsewhere after he left/retired.
As has been said, A true Legend
New York Cosmos. He deserved that one.
Of course, played in the same team as Pele, too, if I recall
Thanks Dave
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And assuming Sid counts with his spells away that takes you to early 1976 with 4 players. If i've worked it out right.
Spink/Hendrie/Gabby appears to get you back to Boxing Day 1979 in three moves.
Assuming Dixon/Aitken is the quickest way to go from 1946 to 1976, then Gidman looks to be all you need to fill that gap.
So, staggeringly, you can go all the way back to the first game after the second world war in just six players.
Eric Houghton finished his career in 1946, having started in 1927. And Billy Walker gets you from January 1920 to 1933. Harry Hampton covers 1904 to 1920. Howard Spencer covers 1892 to 1907. Gersham Cox (me neither) gets you from 1878 to 1893.
Wikipedia goes blank before this point, but working on the assumption that one player could potentially get you from our first ever game to 1878, the list would be (without checking that they definitely overlapped):
?????>Cox>Spencer>Hampton>Walker>Houghton>Dixon>Aitken>Gidman>Spink>Hendrie>Agbonlahor.
12 players, from Gabby Agbonlahor to the team that were formed under a gaslight.
*anorak alert* If you want overlapping appearances rather than careers, Harry Hampton's last game was the one before Billy Walker's and Nigel Spink made his debut after John Gidman left. Gersham Cox left two seasons before Howard Spencer's debut.
Archie Hunter was playing from about 1877 until 1890 so he will almost certainly have played in the same team as one of the First XI. He played with Jas Cowan, who played with Billy George, who played with Hampton, who played with Dicky York, who played with Houghton. Then you'd go Dixon, Aitken, Brian Little (last game March 1980), Spink, Hendrie, Gabby.
Cheers Dave. A first team and two subs probably gets you all the way back to beating Aston Brook St Marys 1-0 in a game of half-football, half-rugby. Quite a thought.
Wikipedia claims that Jack Hughes scored the goal in that game, with his page claiming that he joined Small Heath in 1890. He could be the final link.
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Didn't he have a shop in Olton or Acock's Green after he retired?
He did indeed have an Antique shop in Acocks Green but it was broken into so often that he gave it up as he was worried about his own personal safety. This information was gleaned from a very pleasent conversation I had with him about 10 years ago when I met him and Ron Wylie at a match where I was doing some corporate schmoozing. Both of them were proper gentlemen and a pleasure to talk to. Belated Happy Birthday Mr Aitken.
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And assuming Sid counts with his spells away that takes you to early 1976 with 4 players. If i've worked it out right.
Spink/Hendrie/Gabby appears to get you back to Boxing Day 1979 in three moves.
Assuming Dixon/Aitken is the quickest way to go from 1946 to 1976, then Gidman looks to be all you need to fill that gap.
So, staggeringly, you can go all the way back to the first game after the second world war in just six players.
Eric Houghton finished his career in 1946, having started in 1927. And Billy Walker gets you from January 1920 to 1933. Harry Hampton covers 1904 to 1920. Howard Spencer covers 1892 to 1907. Gersham Cox (me neither) gets you from 1878 to 1893.
Wikipedia goes blank before this point, but working on the assumption that one player could potentially get you from our first ever game to 1878, the list would be (without checking that they definitely overlapped):
?????>Cox>Spencer>Hampton>Walker>Houghton>Dixon>Aitken>Gidman>Spink>Hendrie>Agbonlahor.
12 players, from Gabby Agbonlahor to the team that were formed under a gaslight.
*anorak alert* If you want overlapping appearances rather than careers, Harry Hampton's last game was the one before Billy Walker's and Nigel Spink made his debut after John Gidman left. Gersham Cox left two seasons before Howard Spencer's debut.
Archie Hunter was playing from about 1877 until 1890 so he will almost certainly have played in the same team as one of the First XI. He played with Jas Cowan, who played with Billy George, who played with Hampton, who played with Dicky York, who played with Houghton. Then you'd go Dixon, Aitken, Brian Little (last game March 1980), Spink, Hendrie, Gabby.
Cheers Dave. A first team and two subs probably gets you all the way back to beating Aston Brook St Marys 1-0 in a game of half-football, half-rugby. Quite a thought.
Wikipedia claims that Jack Hughes scored the goal in that game, with his page claiming that he joined Small Heath in 1890. He could be the final link.
Jack Hughes is the missing link to our early days. He was apparently a great diarist and the only club member to keep records of the early days. It was his talk in 1897 that formed the basis of much of the club's early written history. E.B. Lee was a member of the team in the first match and a photo from 1880 features a Lee as well as Archie Hunter so it's more than likely that there's the first link.
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And some great pictures of Charlie here:
http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/A/Aitken.Charlie.htm
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In the 1976 picture Brian Rowan is shown. I'm fairly sure he played a couple of times for us when he was young. Cant remember where though.
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I remember him Ron. Saw a lot of him in the stiffs, I thought he had the makings but, only ever played for the first team once, about 1969ish I think.
Forgot to add, he played full back, right side.
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13th September 1969. We lost 3-0 at Watford.
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Christ! I went to that game.
It's not very often you see your team concede a goal from a 45-yard free-kick -and not a good one, either!