Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: The Left Side on January 13, 2015, 04:28:19 PM
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Can't argue with any of that, oh to have a few of them now...
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4414337,00.html
Apologies if it has been posted and for the long link, I can't find the "how to" thingy.
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http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4414337,00.html
a great set of players and a really nice tribute to Alex Cropley.
I have picked ALEX CROPLEY instead of myself.
His passing and vision was amazing and he really excited me when I watched him play.
He was also ruthless in the tackle.
Alex helped me when I broke my leg, offering advice and encouragement throughout the recovery process.
UTV
The Doc
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(http://www.avfc.co.uk/javaImages/37/a1/0,,10265~13410615,00.jpg)
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(http://www.avfc.co.uk/javaImages/37/a1/0,,10265~13410615,00.jpg)
Some interesting omissions there. No McGrath or Platt from his second stint for a start.
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So basically, the European Cup team with his idol Cropley instead of himself. I'd have put McGrath in but I can see his reasons.
Oh, and it should be 4-3-3, with Morley wide, shouldn't it?
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I wasn't old enough to have seen him, but I do get told that Cropley was some player, and would have been one of our best ever if not for injury.
Just how good was he/could have been?
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What did Jimmy Rimmer do to piss him off?
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so what the different between Cropley and Sid ? I would have McGrath in that European Cup winning team. He should be in every Villa Dream XI team :) He is that good.
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What did Jimmy Rimmer do to piss him off?
They seemed to be getting on fine in the pub after the Southampton game.
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What did Jimmy Rimmer do to piss him off?
I remember watching a show on SKY (Time of Our Lives or something) where Jeff Stelling was discussing the League Championship and European Cup winning seasons with Tony Morley, Gary Shaw and Allan Evans. I remember that the three of them weren't overly complimentary about Jimmy Rimmer the person.
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Interesting. In my Villa best XI I would wish to have both Cropley and Cowans, but I'm not sure how it could be done (Mortimer and Platt also having to be in the side).
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I'm amazed Sid didn't find a place for David Platt in his dream team. They had a telepathic understanding during his second stint at VP.
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What a brilliant side. I'd have to say I'd like McGrath, Sid, Yorke and Platt involved too.
Oh and Bozzy!
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Bosnich
Barrett Mcgrath Laursen Staunton
Barry
Cowans Merson
Platt
Yorke Saunders
** I'm 30
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So basically, the European Cup team with his idol Cropley instead of himself. I'd have put McGrath in but I can see his reasons.
Oh, and it should be 4-3-3, with Morley wide, shouldn't it?
And drop either McNaught and Evans? Not a chance. We can get all dewy eyes about McGrath but lets remember who won us the big trophies
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Bosnich
Barrett Mcgrath Laursen Staunton
Barry
Cowans Merson
Platt
Yorke Saunders
** I'm 30
I wouldnt agree with you as my best all time first 11 but thats a great team
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You'd be surprised, or maybe not, that the Champions side tend to think that their team-mates were the best they've ever played with.
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Dennis Mortimer has to be in any of the sides. Paul Mortimer doesn't however.
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McGrath is the best single centre-half to play for us, Allan & Ken are the best partnership.
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I've only seen Ken mcnaught on video and highlights can be unfair on defenders for obvious reasons. But the player I saw is nowhere near McGrath's level.
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I wasn't old enough to have seen him, but I do get told that Cropley was some player, and would have been one of our best ever if not for injury.
Just how good was he/could have been?
Well, he was capped twice for Scotland but his career suffered from the two broken legs that he endured. Some could say that his combative tackling style contributed to his injury record, others that he was unlucky.
He actually only played for us around 60 times but he is associated with perhaps the most exciting Villa team in recent times - the one that beat L''The Mighty Reds YNWA' 5-1 in Dec 1976 (my favourite Villa memory after the European Cup win).
How good was he? - Sid's accolade says it all.
How good could he have been? - who knows! Arsenal rejected him in 1974, but we found a slot for him and he blossomed. Sid's emergence may have ousted him from the team. Difficult to say.
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I've only seen Ken mcnaught on video and highlights can be unfair on defenders for obvious reasons. But the player I saw is nowhere near McGrath's level.
No he wasn't but as a partnership McNaught & Evans were solid, reliable and the best pairing that I've seen.
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Bosnich
Swain McGrath Laursen Staunton
Young Mortimer Cowans Morley
Yorke Withe
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I've only seen Ken mcnaught on video and highlights can be unfair on defenders for obvious reasons. But the player I saw is nowhere near McGrath's level.
No he wasn't but as a partnership McNaught & Evans were solid, reliable and the best pairing that I've seen.
I'd go along with the general consensus here although others don't. "Too busy doing other peoples' jobs to do his own properly" was one opinion of McGrath.
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Brian Little anyone?
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Spink
Gidman McGrath Laursen Aitken
Bremner Mortimer Cowans
Deehan Little Gray
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Bosnich
Barrett Mcgrath Laursen Staunton
Barry
Cowans Merson
Platt
Yorke Saunders
** I'm 30
I went to my first game in '85 and my team would be pretty similar to the one above. I would want some wide players in the side though, so would probably go with:
Bosnich
Barrett McGrath Laursen Staunton
Cowans Townsend
Daley Platt Young
Yorke
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Turner's Tots
Poole
Norton Elliott Glover Gallagher
Bradley Walker Robinson Burke
Kerr Stainrod (for leadership and to set an example)
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Bosnich
Barrett Mcgrath Laursen Staunton
Barry
Cowans Merson
Platt
Yorke Saunders
** I'm 30
I went to my first game in '85 and my team would be pretty similar to the one above. I would want some wide players in the side though, so would probably go with:
Bosnich
Barrett McGrath Laursen Staunton
Cowans Townsend
Daley Platt Young
Yorke
I really wanted to play Townsend but just couldn't fit him in. He was such a good player.
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Brian Little anyone?
Yes but as others have sited he seems to have gone for combinations.
Sid, McGrath and Little be the first 3 names on my Villa team - 1978 to present day.
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Brian Little anyone?
Yes but as others have sited he seems to have gone for combinations.
Sid, McGrath and Little be the first 3 names on my Villa team - 1978 to present day.
Fair enough, Little & Yorke then, don't think any team would like facing those two in their prime.
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I started watching late 80s so my team would be
Bosnich - mellberg McGrath southgate Staunton - Merson platt cowans Young - yorke Benteke
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I've always thought Tony Daley was a much better player than Ashley Young.
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I've always thought Tony Daley was a much better player than Ashley Young.
As a pure winger, yes. But Young can play well in probably 7 out of 11 positions.
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I've always thought Tony Daley was a much better player than Ashley Young.
As a pure winger, yes. But Young can play well in probably 7 out of 11 positions.
Daley had speed and was dangerous running at people through the centre but for a winger I never thought his crossing was great. As a striker would you want deliveries from Tony Morley, Ashley Young or Tony Daley?
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Never seen Tony Morley and Youngs deliveries were better than Daleys but Daley from broken play could be deadly and conjure a bit of something out of nothing and we've had very little of that for the 30 years I've watched us. So Daley will always get my vote (plus I met him at a wedding completely star struck and pissed up and offered him a race).
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Never seen Tony Morley and Youngs deliveries were better than Daleys but Daley from broken play could be deadly and conjure a bit of something out of nothing and we've had very little of that for the 30 years I've watched us. So Daley will always get my vote (plus I met him at a wedding completely star struck and pissed up and offered him a race).
Young could cross and create from wide, Daley was dangerous down the middle, Morley was better than both of them at both things.
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Turner's Tots
Poole
Norton Elliott Glover Gallagher
Bradley Walker Robinson Burke
Kerr Stainrod (for leadership and to set an example)
OMG OMG OMG!!!!
I have tried for decades to forget any of those names ever existed or played for Villa.....or that I spent money I didn't have following that crock of shit all over the country in the vain hope that we could get back to 81/82. What an idiot I was lol.
Alex Cropely was a true footballer, anyone who had the joy to watch him play could see that a great talent. I can understand why Sid would pick him in fact if I sometimes try to pick my favorite Villa team I struggle between Cowans and Cropely myself both were brilliant players.
My 11,
Rimmer
Gidman, Mcgrath, Laursen, Staunton
Cowans, Mortimer, Platt, Morley
Little, Gray.
But that leaves out most of the late 70's team who were so good to watch as well as most of the league and European Cup wining team as well as some other great players such as Yorke, Townsend, Bosnich, Mellberg, Merson, Dorigo, Aitken, Barry, Young, Milner etc which is hard to do as all were fabulous to watch.
I have been watching Villa since the early 70's and have seen some many great players but the generation before would I suspect have many different names like Stan Lynn, Peter McParland, Billy Walker, Johnny Dixon, Tom Waring to name a few.
We have been blessed.
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Never seen Tony Morley and Youngs deliveries were better than Daleys but Daley from broken play could be deadly and conjure a bit of something out of nothing and we've had very little of that for the 30 years I've watched us. So Daley will always get my vote (plus I met him at a wedding completely star struck and pissed up and offered him a race).
Tony Daley was my favourite player in the late 80s but he couldn't really cross the ball and he benefited from the lower quality of player up against him at the time. As sir graham said, 'he's only got one trick, but it's a good'un'
I was never sure what that trick was apart from speed. But he did score some great goals. Young was technically much better and i doubt Daley ever posted anything like the stats Young did in his first two seasons
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Spink
Laursen McGrath Barry
Bremner Platt Cowans Little Townsend
Yorke Withe
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I can't do it, I've tried but just can't do it
Defence and attack I'm ok with, but midfield is a nightmare as who you leave out
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Enklemann
Kubicki Alpay (C) Comyn Luna
Curcic Mortimer (Paul) Kinsella (C) Callaghan
Penrice Fashanu (C)
That should do it.
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Enklemann
Kubicki Alpay (C) Comyn Luna
Curcic Mortimer (Paul) Kinsella (C) Callaghan
Penrice Fashanu (C)
That should do it.
It's a cracker!
Alpay was very good though before he went yampy.
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Enklemann
Kubicki Alpay (C) Comyn Luna
Curcic Mortimer (Paul) Kinsella (C) Callaghan
Penrice Fashanu (C)
That should do it.
I reckon they would beat my XI at least 3-0.