Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Ads on December 14, 2017, 10:37:51 AM
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An idea sparked from the Terry thread; how many Villa players have you seen who were genuinely world class? Also worth a discussion a sub-group of players who, on their day, were simply unplayable and world class in a particular game or cluster of games.
In my time I think McGrath, Platt and Yorke, in that order too.
I've not benefited from seeing the European Cup winning side or players from before, but God must be one of the best players to ever play for us, if not the best.
With Yorke I always recall him being applauded off the pitch in a crazy 4-3 defeat at Sid James' Park where he bagged a hat-trick and was wrongly disallowed a 4th. He went on to play for the best Man United side there had ever been, the git.
Platt, at the time I didn't realize really what I was looking at, as it was all about eating sweets for an hour and a half at that age, but the impact he had internationally must put him up there.
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Sid Cowans
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I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.
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I think that McGrath is quite simply the best player that has worn a Villa shirt in the last 70 years. He was peerless.
Some of his predecessors were a bit special by all accounts but none of us on here would have seen them play.
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Bozzie at Sunderland in the cup was exceptional.
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I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.
Bosnich was one of a number of Villa players who could have been world class but didn't quite make it for a number of reasons. See also Shaw G (injuries) and Platt D (conveniently forgets he played for the Villa).
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McGrath, no question for the whole period he was here. Only Baresi and maybe Rijkaard were as good of his peers.
None others would have got into a best World Squad being picked at the time of say 22 players.
Yorke, Bossie and Platt came close of the others but even at the time there were a few players in their positions who were better.
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, if it means being the best in your position in the world then I can only think of McGrath, there are very few British Irish players let alone Villa players that deserve that accolade.
Charlton Best Gascogne Moore Banks
Linekar? Beardsley ? Greaves? Robson ? Dalglish ?
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For me world class means capable of playing in the top teams in the world, club or internationally. I.e., Yorke after he left us played for the best team in Europe and excelled, so I think he qualifies as the form he showed for us did not stop.
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I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.
Bosnich was one of a number of Villa players who could have been world class but didn't quite make it for a number of reasons. See also Shaw G (injuries) and Platt D (conveniently forgets he played for the Villa).
Platt was undoubtedly World Class for a while.
In my time watching us the ones I would class as World Class, at least for a spell, were Platt, McGrath, Yorke, Bosnich and Benteke.
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For me world class means capable of playing in the top teams in the world, club or internationally. I.e., Yorke after he left us played for the best team in Europe and excelled, so I think he qualifies as the form he showed for us did not stop.
Yorke went on to win European Cup so that puts the 82 team up there.
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Not sure 're world class but Gareth Barry left us and seamlessly became a key part in Man City winning two league titles. Very underrated player
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Luc Nilis had been world class and looked to still be close to that level for all two and a bit games of his Villa career
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Too young to talk about Benteke or even Yorke, but as someone who prefers a stricter criteria for "world class" (basically, someone who you could make a proper argument for being in a 23 man World XI squad), I'd say there's been four since the turn of millenium who got remotely close to such a tag while still with us - Barry, Milner, Young, and Benteke. I'd say Barry just about reached his ceiling as a very, very good player but a couple of steps below being one of the best in his position. Young, I think, needed to add a few more dimensions to his game to make the next step but wasn't able to, neither here nor once he went to United. Milner, conceivable that he might've reached Gerrard or Lampard's level with a couple more seasons of development playing centrally but he chose to go to a place where he was always going to be limited to being a hardworking wide man. Benteke - mentality issues mostly, but a lack of support with us and then a couple of dodgy career moves didn't help.
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Sid Cowans
The entire European cup winning team plus Sir Brian and Andy Gray.
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For me world class means capable of playing in the top teams in the world, club or internationally. I.e., Yorke after he left us played for the best team in Europe and excelled, so I think he qualifies as the form he showed for us did not stop.
Yorke went on to win European Cup so that puts the 82 team up there.
Does winning the European Cup makes Djimi Traore and Igor Biscan world class?
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World Cup and European Championship winner Robert Pires?
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Gerry Hitchens
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I am going to interpret 'world class' as capable of looking good in a World Cup finals tournament based on their performances for Villa and at international level for those who got a chance.
Schmeichel and Terry proved themselves over and over again for club and country (pre Villa). McGrath and Platt each proved themselves in both World Cup and European Championship tournaments. Yorke and Bosnich at their best would have been first pick in a number of International teams far stronger than those they qualified for. It has been said on here numerous times about how much better and more successful Gary Shaw was in his early twenties than Gary Lineker was around the same time and age. I would have loved to have seen how Tony Morley would have performed in Espana '82 if Don Howe hadn't pushed Greenwood to pick Graham Rix instead and how Glenn Hoddle got five times as many caps as Sid is a disgrace. Sid was his equal in skill and his superior in work rate and tackling.
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I am going to interpret 'world class' as capable of looking good in a World Cup finals tournament based on their performances for Villa and at international level for those who got a chance.
Ron Vlaar and (to a lesser extent) Alpay, come on down and collect your World-class accolades.
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The neaest we have had must be Paul McGrath.
Andy Gray could have been world class if he had stuck with the Villa first time round - unfortunately no one else. We have had an abundance of extremely good players but when you use the term World Class the likes of Bobby Charlton, Pele, Cryuff come to mind.
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I am going to interpret 'world class' as capable of looking good in a World Cup finals tournament based on their performances for Villa and at international level for those who got a chance.
Ron Vlaar and (to a lesser extent) Alpay, come on down and collect your World-class accolades.
Haha yes and both were not goood enough the lace Martin Laursens boots
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Are we talking world class whilst at Villa? If so, then McGrath, Platt and Yorke. If not, then Schmiechal, Terry, Pires.
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World class is described as something or someone being 'one of the best in the world'. So where is the cut off? Top 6 players in their position as voted for or as a general consensus? Top 5, top 10...?
What is someone is currently the 5th best centre forward in the world but you could name a dozen players from 20 years ago that were better?
McGrath was in the top 2-3 centre backs in the world when he played for us, so I'd count him. Schmeicel was the best GK in the world for a time when he was at Man Utd. Bosnich arguably in the top 5 GK in the world when with us.
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I am convinced Bosnich was on his way to being the best goalkeeper in the world in the mid nineties. It is amazing how the Old Trafford careers of him and his holiday/drinking/partying/womanising partner in crime Dwight Yorke were polar opposites.
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I think his poor kicking was highlighted quite early at Man Utd, Ferguson lost faith and Bozzie lost confidence. Still no excuse to piss his career away though. I think once Yorkie had 'made it' there it took his foot off the peddle and should have been great for them for longer.
Another consideration is how long do you have to be at the very top for, C Ronaldo and Scholes did it for years, Platty and the Brazilian Ronaldo for a lot less time but they were still really great for a while.
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For me world class means capable of playing in the top teams in the world, club or internationally. I.e., Yorke after he left us played for the best team in Europe and excelled, so I think he qualifies as the form he showed for us did not stop.
Yorke went on to win European Cup so that puts the 82 team up there.
Does winning the European Cup makes Djimi Traore and Igor Biscan world class?
That is the point I was trying to make. Everybody has a different version of World Class except that we would all agree on the True greats Maradona Pele Cruyf Charlton.
There is no difinitive criteria.
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I am convinced Bosnich was on his way to being the best goalkeeper in the world in the mid nineties. It is amazing how the Old Trafford careers of him and his holiday/drinking/partying/womanising partner in crime Dwight Yorke were polar opposites.
According to Roy Keane's book apparently Bosnich rocked up late for training on his first day, wasn't apologetic and brushed it off. Keane wasn't impressed and never changed his mind about Bosnich from then on.
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World class is described as something or someone being 'one of the best in the world'. So where is the cut off? Top 6 players in their position as voted for or as a general consensus? Top 5, top 10...?
What is someone is currently the 5th best centre forward in the world but you could name a dozen players from 20 years ago that were better?
McGrath was in the top 2-3 centre backs in the world when he played for us, so I'd count him. Schmeicel was the best GK in the world for a time when he was at Man Utd. Bosnich arguably in the top 5 GK in the world when with us.
My measure is Top 2-3.
McGrath is only qualifier when he was with us.
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I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.
Bosnich was one of a number of Villa players who could have been world class but didn't quite make it for a number of reasons. See also Shaw G (injuries) and Platt D (conveniently forgets he played for the Villa).
Platt was undoubtedly World Class for a while.
In my time watching us the ones I would class as World Class, at least for a spell, were Platt, McGrath, Yorke, Bosnich and Benteke.
Benteke? I wouldn't say a striker who has never scored 20 league goals in a season and has just a dozen international goals is anywhere near. He was on fire at times for us it is true, but wasn't up with the best in the world.
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Bosnich, good shot stopper, atheletic, good keeper overall except for dreadful distribution so wasn't even near world class. McGrath, yes, he qualifies as does Yorke who was excellent for us and for ManU for a good while too.
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I guess Peter Schmeichel, though that was short term. For a period in his career, Bosnich was world class, he'd make saves few would, though his kicking was awful.
Bosnich was one of a number of Villa players who could have been world class but didn't quite make it for a number of reasons. See also Shaw G (injuries) and Platt D (conveniently forgets he played for the Villa).
Platt was undoubtedly World Class for a while.
In my time watching us the ones I would class as World Class, at least for a spell, were Platt, McGrath, Yorke, Bosnich and Benteke.
Benteke? I wouldn't say a striker who has never scored 20 league goals in a season and has just a dozen international goals is anywhere near. He was on fire at times for us it is true, but wasn't up with the best in the world.
I did say "for a spell". Between Christmas and the end of the season, when he first joined, only Messi and Ronaldo scored more goals (in the serious leagues). So it would be a struggle to say he wasn't World Class when those were the only two ahead of him.
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Benteke on his day was unplayable, as was Dalian.
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For me Paul McGrath a legend and truly world class player but I would also say Paul Merson on his day was something else.
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McGrath truly exceptional player, always in the right position by superb reading of the game
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Based purely on their time with us I would say only McGrath makes the cut. Cowans, Platt and Yorke in particular stood out as being top class and able to perform at the highest level. I think Bosnich may have made the list it if the back pass law had not been introduced, making kicking an important skill for keepers.
It is interesting speaking to fans of other clubs about McGrath. When you ask for the best defenders they have seen they rattle off the usual suspects and overlook him. When prompted, they acknowledge how good he was, though it seems to be mainly based on his international career. The next comment is usually "did he ever win anything though?". I point out the 2 league cups and the FA cup, but that doesn't impress outsiders a lot. I have also yet to meet a Man U fan who would put him in their best ever team.
The big loss for me in this category was Gary Shaw. I am convinced he would have been world class.
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Brian Little
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Gary Shaw was definitely on his way to being world class, if he stayed fit he no doubt would have been sold by Doug and gone on to great things for club and country. If Hateley and Archibald ended up at AC Milan and Barca, Shaw would have equalled that.
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McParland, McGrath and Yorke
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Gerry Hitchens
I was going to offer this earlier and explain that in his time football was so much different then, fitness, tactics, diet etc, but Gerry was an all-rounder as we discussed in another thread not too long ago. Gerry could play hold-up man, he could shoot with either foot, he was good in the air and, in the football of those days; was a real battering ram of a centre forward. The thing that made him world-class IMO, was apart from being an England international (not enough caps in my opinion) was the fact that he made a successful career as a goal scorer in Italy.
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Before my time but my old man reckoned that Gerry Hitchens was world class. Scored 96 goals in 140 appearances for the Villa before Inter signed him. Scored 5 goals in 7 appearances for England, the only reason he didn't get more caps was because Alf Ramsey would only pick home based players.
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How about changing World Class to 'best in their position in the league while at Villa'.
In that respect I would say, based on watching since 1989 :
McGrath, Platt, Daley, Bosnich, Atkinson, Barry, Milner, Benteke, Terry
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Cowans was class - in Tottenhams first home game of the 1978-79 season, Sid gave WC winners, Villa and Ardiles, a masterclass in MF play, and AV won 4-1. Had Ingerland picked him alongside Hoddle more often, we'd have seen a very classy side.
Andy Gray was - on his day - the most unplayable CF for a defender I've ever seen: I think he eclipsed Malcolm MacDonald, Geoff Hurst and others in the CF position; on a par with Shearer at his best.
McGrath also gets the nod, for me.
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A German publication, I forget which one but possibly Kicker, used to rate German players with the top two categories being International Class and World Class. In the time I've been watching Villa I think we have had many in the International category including many of the 1977 and 1980 - 1983 squads and a few since such as Laursen, Mellberg and Ashley Young since but I would only really class Sid Cowans, David Platt and Paul McGrath as being in the World Class category. Strange as they all played together in the same team.
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A German publication, I forget which one but possibly Kicker, used to rate German players with the top two categories being International Class and World Class. In the time I've been watching Villa I think we have had many in the International category including many of the 1977 and 1980 - 1983 squads and a few since such as Laursen, Mellberg and Ashley Young since but I would only really class Sid Cowans, David Platt and Paul McGrath as being in the World Class category. Strange as they all played together in the same team.
And all (re)bought - along with Yorke - by SGT for less than a million quid. Now there's world class.
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McGrath was outstanding. There is no debating that. And he was absolutely a world class footballer, let alone a defender. That’s not to say John Terry, especially the version in his mid to late 20’s wasn’t. An argument can be made for both. I would throw a fit Rio Ferdinand into the mix too. We naturally look at the world through our eyes and McGrath was simply incredible especially when you consider the demons he fought. But there are other great players worthy of including in the discussion.
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Didn't Mellberg go to Juventus after he left us?
Probably just below that world class bracket but still a very good defender for many years and also for Sweden of course.
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I've been watching Villa since the late 70s, and the only world class player in my time was McGrath.
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David Geddis and Chris Nicholl, any of the fourteen, the best footballer we ever had was Brian Little!
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Gordon Cowans, David Platt, Martin Laursen and Paul McGrath. If not all world class, then a gnats whisker away from it. McGrath certainly was.
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I always think with world class players that they're nine or ten out of ten in the majority of games that they play. Using trophies and tournament appearances is pointless because it suggests the likes of Gerard Pique were at least three times better than George Best because the former won three international tournaments in a row while Best made none during his career.
As for Villa, the only one I can personally claim to confirm was world class was Paul McGrath. Yorke was excellent but peaked and pissed the rest of his career post Man Yoo away, and Platt was my first Villa hero but was never anything other than meat and potatoes once he left us.
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When you see threads like this you realise that history has treated Gordon Cowans kindly. He was a very good player and he had great moments. Had he not broken his leg he might have been great. But he was a bit short of world-class.
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Platt was my first Villa hero but was never anything other than meat and potatoes once he left us.
I'm not sure that's fair. He was very good in Serie A, at a time when Serie A was comfortably the best league in the world.
And was England's best midfielder for half a decade after he left us.
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What's people's thoughts then on God? The best I've seen but I'm 31. What about the older mob? Is he the best to ever grace our shirt?
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What's people's thoughts then on God? The best I've seen but I'm 31. What about the older mob? Is he the best to ever grace our shirt?
When Villa supporters who were watching before the war said he was the best they'd seen, nothing more has to be said.
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When you see threads like this you realise that history has treated Gordon Cowans kindly. He was a very good player and he had great moments. Had he not broken his leg he might have been great. But he was a bit short of world-class.
Agreed. But to sing his praises a little more one of the things I liked about Cowans was you could see him thinking and anticipating before each pass. Running things through his head. He played with his intelligence as well as his feet if you know what I mean. Admittedly I only saw him a couple of times at the end of his career playing but that stuck out to me.
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What's people's thoughts then on God? The best I've seen but I'm 31. What about the older mob? Is he the best to ever grace our shirt?
He has to be up there. He was just so impressive. You knew that from the friendly vs Hibs at Villa Park that we had something incredible on our hands. And he rarely if ever fell short of those incredibly high standards.
The other player who just made it look phenomenally easy was Dwight. His misfortune (I mean this respectfully in a sports context) was playing internationally for T&T. He exceeded all expectations with us, at Man U and had he played for a more prominent football nation I think we’d be talking about him on a whole other level.
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I always think with world class players that they're nine or ten out of ten in the majority of games that they play. Using trophies and tournament appearances is pointless because it suggests the likes of Gerard Pique were at least three times better than George Best because the former won three international tournaments in a row while Best made none during his career.
As for Villa, the only one I can personally claim to confirm was world class was Paul McGrath. Yorke was excellent but peaked and pissed the rest of his career post Man Yoo away, and Platt was my first Villa hero but was never anything other than meat and potatoes once he left us.
You couldn't just give Paul McGrath marks out of ten. He was like Nigel Tufnel's amplifier, he went up to eleven.
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I always defer to my dad who saw villa from before WWII. In his opinion McGrath was the best defender he saw in the flesh and second only to Beckenbauer.
In my experience, Yorke is the only one to come close to that standard.
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McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94. I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.
My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.
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Baresi asked McGrath for his shirt after the game. I cannot think of a single defensive display that stands out after such an elapse of time, for a team that I don't support like that. The best number 10 in the world, inside God's pocket.
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Little, gray, rimmer, morley, shaw, platt, mc grath, laursen covers it for me
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Little, gray, rimmer, morley, shaw, platt, mc grath, laursen covers it for me
I was going to say Jimmy Rimmer earlier, he was outstanding in the early 80s. That’s why Spink’s performance in the European Cup final was so amazing. We thought our hopes had gone because one of our best players had gone off so early.
Not sure there were many in front of him in the world at the time.
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McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94. I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.
My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.
It was so good he made Phil Babb look great.
That was the real thing with McGrath practically all his partners looked much better than they actually were and/or by playing with them he helped them become much better - Moran, Mountfield, Neilsen, Teale, Southgate, Ugo, Babb. All had their merits but his influence pushed them up a notch or two IMO.
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There's a you tube somewhere of McGrath performance against Italy, it's worth a marvel at. I recall watching the game in a pub in Alvechurch, even the Noses were in awe.
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Wasn’t Alpay picked as the centre half for the team of the WC he played in?
I saw the end of the league winning team as it was being broken up, for me the world class players have already been mentioned. McGrath and Yorke certainly, Platt probably. Sid wasn’t helped by having press favourite Hoddle tending to get picked ahead of him for England.
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McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94. I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.
My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.
I went to the Ireland v Holland game in Florida at the 94 World Cup (when Packie Bonner made a howler for the Dutch second goal) Staunton, Townsend, Houghton were playing and McGrath scored but it was disallowed and I didn't realise and went on to make a tit of myself for a couple of minutes, singing oohh-aahh Paul McGrath until someone pointed out that it wasn't a goal. Hottest game I've ever been to, which might explain why I'd necked so much beer.
As much as I hero worshipped Little, Cowans, Rimmer etc, McGrath must surely be the one truly world class player we've had?
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McGrath put in the single greatest defensive performance I think I will ever see against italy in 94. I was 14 and football was my life at the time and it was the only time that a defensive performance by anyone genuinely blew me away.
My definition of world class is a player who just looks like they're totally in control and god made a career of that.
I went to the Ireland v Holland game in Florida at the 94 World Cup (when Packie Bonner made a howler for the Dutch second goal) Staunton, Townsend, Houghton were playing and McGrath scored but it was disallowed and I didn't realise and went on to make a tit of myself for a couple of minutes, singing oohh-aahh Paul McGrath until someone pointed out that it wasn't a goal. Hottest game I've ever been to, which might explain why I'd necked so much beer.
As much as I hero worshipped Little, Cowans, Rimmer etc, McGrath must surely be the one truly world class player we've had?
Agree, and remember he could have been even better.
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I can remember Gordon Strachan when he was the manager at Coventry saying how the words world class get used an awful lot but whilst they are very good players they fall short of that, but he said Dwight Yorke undoubtedly qualified.
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When you see threads like this you realise that history has treated Gordon Cowans kindly. He was a very good player and he had great moments. Had he not broken his leg he might have been great. But he was a bit short of world-class.
Hmmm; he was pretty classy, on a par if not better than Glenn H who won 53 full England caps (admittednly, at a time when England were not exactly wowing the world). He played for an unfashionable club which - even when it won the league - managed to only get a couple of England players.
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I haven't had the time to thoroughly scour this topic but in case he's been omitted; Luc Nillis, unequivocally world class.
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I haven't had the time to thoroughly scour this topic but in case he's been omitted; Luc Nillis, unequivocally world class.
I never saw him play so can't judge him. A Belgian mate reckoned he was sublime for PSV but average for Belgium - it took him about 20 games to score his first international goal. Funnily enough said Belgian mate got me a cheap pair of boots from Belgium when we played football together in Paris in the 1990s - endorsed by Luc Nilis!
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I'm sure a few of the Liverpool European cup winning team of 1977 was considered world class
if that's the case then after 45 minutes of alex cropley at villa park against them would put him head and shoulders above them.
definitely world class
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McGrath and Platt.
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It is worth remembering that from the Coca Cola Cup final win and his performance against United up to the World Cup and that performance against Italy Paul McGrath was basically playing with the use of just one arm do to a bad infection. Only he could put in a performance so great it is still talked about over twenty years later whilst having just one useful arm and basically no knees left.
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Only one charity game but true world class wearing the shirt.
(http://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article8194590.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP2271919.jpg)
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McGrath, without question, was one of the best ever. We've had precious few of those in my time but some who were among the best in the world in their time.
Platt was definitely one of them. 89/90 made him; it was the time he went from a hard worker with a great footballing brain to a proper leader who could completely boss games. He proved it beyond any doubt with what he did in Italy and with England.
Yorke was sublime. So much natural talent and you could put him in any team and he shone. Another who, while not in a greatest of all time squad, would have walked into any side in the world from 94 onwards and been in the starting 11 more often than not.
Sid, Little and Shaw had awareness and skill that made them stand above most whenever they were fit. Don't know if they would have gone beyond that but for injuries but, again, there aren't many sides they wouldn't have got into in their pomp.
Andy Gray was a phenomenal number 9. I'd say Shearer was undoubtedly world class and that Gray was his 70s/80s doppelganger.
Dennis Mortimer is worth a shout as he was the epitome of that dominant midfielder the Germans in particular used to spew out back in the day. Of his type, he was definitely up there. Similarly, John Gidman elevated full back play to a level few in his position had at the time. Now there are loads of Gidmans, but not so many when he came to prominence.
I wouldn't argue against any of that bunch being called world class. I reckon they could, for a decent chunk of their careers, have got a gig anywhere. In today's world where billionaires collect players for fun, this lot wouldn't have just found themselves being paid shed loads, they would have been playing regularly in top sides too.
Barry and Milner come close as they are so consistently excellent at what they do, even if that isn't usually edge of the seat stuff. Ashley Young has impressed with the way he has held down a spot at Old Trafford even though he's not in his favoured role of star man. Many players who are Billy Big Bollocks go missing when they move to a club that has bigger names, but he hasn't. You wouldn't find many who'd dub these three world class, but it's amazing how long they've excelled at the very top of the game in an era where managers get to just spend with wild abandon. Southgate probably would have come into this category too. It's the consistency that marks this bunch out.
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Only one charity game but true world class wearing the shirt.
(http://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article8194590.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP2271919.jpg)
I was at the game. A Friday night wasn't it? But I wouldn't exactly call Nicky Cross 'true world class'.
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Only one charity game but true world class wearing the shirt.
(http://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article8194590.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP2271919.jpg)
I was at the game. A Friday night wasn't it? But I wouldn't exactly call Nicky Cross 'true world class'.
But Des Bremner? A yes from me.
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I was a bit concerned that in my attempt to make a joke about Nicky Cross, I may have mistakenly got my Albion players mixed up and instead shown a total lack of respect to his lookalike, the genuinely world class Barry Cowdrill.
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World class isn’t a clear definition
If it means could play in any side in the world, since I started following villa it’s probably McGrath, platt and yorke
Benteke, young, Bosnich had spells not too far off that but didn’t sustain it enough
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I would say only McGrath is truly world class if I am being honest.
That being said, I am sure but for an obnoxious tosser called Ian Bowyer Gary Shaw could have become that. He was a superb footballer and such a shame his career was finished by an injury that could have been avoided.
Similarly I think the same re Gordon Cowans but the English press at the time had such a love in about Glenn Hoddle it was untrue and neither of them could get a game at times lol. There again, Dennis Mortimer never got a cap
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Only one charity game but true world class wearing the shirt.
(http://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article8194590.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP2271919.jpg)
I was at the game. A Friday night wasn't it? But I wouldn't exactly call Nicky Cross 'true world class'.
But Des Bremner? A yes from me.
#7 ? .. is it not Ray Walker ?
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Only one charity game but true world class wearing the shirt.
(http://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article8194590.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP2271919.jpg)
I was at the game. A Friday night wasn't it? But I wouldn't exactly call Nicky Cross 'true world class'.
But Des Bremner? A yes from me.
#7 ? .. is it not Ray Walker ?
You can only say what you see.
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I was slightly embarrassed as a kid when my mum saw Ray Walker either in a picture or on telly and announced "ooh, he is good looking". I can't think of Ray Walker without hearing in my head Alan Parry's Port Vale v Spurs commentary, "ooh Ray Walker". To be fair he was describing his goal as opposed to agreeing with my mum about his looks.
It is Ray Walker, as although it looks like Des Bremner from the back he had left earlier that season.
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Allan Evans is in the background, close to the, er, crowd.
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Only one charity game but true world class wearing the shirt.
(http://i2-prod.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article8194590.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/BP2271919.jpg)
I was at the game. A Friday night wasn't it? But I wouldn't exactly call Nicky Cross 'true world class'.
But Des Bremner? A yes from me.
#7 ? .. is it not Ray Walker ?
You can only say what you see.
It’s good but it’s not right.