Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Deano's Mullet on May 19, 2024, 02:33:38 PM
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Just seeing all over social media that Chico Hamilton has passed away. RIP if true.
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What? Fucking hell hope not
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This is about the fourth time.
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Are you getting confused with Bingo Klopp, who has definitely passed away?
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I heard it this morning from a very reliable source . Didn't put it up on here though as all I got was a text RIP Chico.
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Not "our" one, I hope (the third).
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So sorry to hear this, one of my first heroes.
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This has now been confrimed.
Very sad news.
I loved Chico when i was a kid. He scored in my first ever game v WBA in 74/75.
RIP.
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Very sad news about Ian Chico Hamilton, another of my heroes from my younger days supporting Villa, stylish winger with a great left foot, RIP.
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Not "our" one, I hope (the third).
He was definitely alive and kicking at 6:30 outside the ground tonight.
Sad news of Chico Hamilton II has though, one of my early heroes.
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Sad news indeed. Chico was one of first pictures that went up on my bedroom wall. RIP Chico.
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Sad news indeed. Those of us of a certain age will remember him with great fondness. As others have said a real favourite. RIP Chico.
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RIP Chico.
HEITS
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Being from that era, my heroes were Colin Withers and John Sleeuwenhoek.
But after Willie Anderson, Chico was probably the popular hero.
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RIP and thanks, Chico. I remember enjoying seeing him play. It’s very sad to hear this news.
I remember he had a boutique called “Chico’s” in Wylde Green, when all the cool footballers like George Best had them. As kids we used to walk past, dead casually, a few times, hoping he’d be in there!
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Such sad news - RIP Chico.
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My first Villa hero. RIP Chico...
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Walked past his house many a time on my way to or from school. Well it wasn't on my way to or from, but went out of my way so I could gawp at it with my mates. Amazingly, he never seemed to be out the front when all us kids were there...
HEITS
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Chico, Chico
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Chico was with us at our lowest point and was integral to our rise from the third division. Any of you there will remember his game against West Ham at Villa Park on Boxing Day in 1975 as one of the best individuals performances from any Villa player ever. RIP Chico
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RIP Chico. One of my early Villa heroes. Condolences to family and friends. Heits!
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Sad news. i was lucky enough to be at a few private events when he was there. A lovely man who never pushed himself into the limelight - and a terrific footballer as well.
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Was anyone at Wrexham in the third division days when Chico took a penalty and his run-up
Was almost from the half-way line*. We won either 4-3 or 3-2, the former I think.
RIP Chico, you were an entertainer.
* I exaggerate obv. It was bloody long though.
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Sad news, indeed 😞
Another of my early heroes departs.
RIP Chico
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Oh crap, one of my original Villa heroes.
RIP Chico, a wonderful player in one of my favourite Villa eras.
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Rest in Peace Chico.
Many thanks for the memories.
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I remember how he could have given us the lead in the 1971 League Final, before Martin Chivers scored a brace to end 3rd-division Villa's dreams. As a 12 yr-old at the time, I'd already been to the amazing semi-final 2nd leg at VP where we'd dispatched the mighty Reds from Manc (and they were just coming off their high point of champions League winners).
Chico was a big part of the memories of my most formative years and won't be forgotten.
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Very sad news- a very important part of the Villa revival and for those of us of a certain age a proper Boys Own hero we could identify with and mimic in the playgrounds of our youth. As my friend Mister E says he played so well in the League Cup Final that Martin Chivers who I met at his hotel in Brookman’s Park many years later remembered and said that Chico was Man of the Match that day. I remember Chico completely bamboozling the great George Best in the Old Trafford semi final and it’s worth looking it up on YouTube. RIP Chico and thank you for so many great memories.
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Sad news always remember Chico with his blonde hair flying chasing around scoring and putting in crosses, used to see him up the Belfry on a Saturday night pretty popular when playing for us RIP
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One of my dads favourite players.
I met him at a former Villa players do and told him the above. He asked if I had a mobile and phoned my dad to say 'hello'. My dad was over the moon.
RIP Chico.
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Sad news.
One of my favourite players of the time.
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Sad news. R.I.P. Chico.
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A real fans favourite, Chico was a key player in two promotion winning sides, and in two league Cup finals, one as a winner v Norwich, and the other of course as man of the match v Spurs. My favourite memory of Chico though is his diving header coming in at the far post in front of the Holte End, to put us 2-1 up against the Albion in the 1974/75 season.
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Very sad news RIP Chico.
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Very sad news one of my heroes
RIP Chico
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Sad news. Chico was one of the new generation of Villa players for us kids of the time to identify with. Long hair, very skilled and an important part of the club's successful recovery from it's low point.
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RIP Chico. Thanks for the memories!
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Very sad news. I met him at the end of season awards in 2001 on the day we relegated Coventry. I went over and said Chico can I have an autograph please? He angrily replied that his name was Ian. That was me told!
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Really sad news. Chico, Pat McMahon and Neil Rioch lived in our Road when they came to the Villa. They were always in our house. I used to go up to town to buy records for Chico. My Dad used to drive them to the Bingo hall and pick them up 😀😀Then they’d come back to our house. My mom would make them Chesse on toast. Chico would drink Rum and milk with his cheese on toast. I think my Mom had a bit of a crush on Pat. Chico was the mischievous one. A real joker.
Thanks for those memories Chico. Thanks for all the fun and laughs.
R.I.P.
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This is about the fourth time.
now on the club website.
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My absolute, all time favourite memory of him is the 1975 home game v SHA - a goal down to a Francis tap-in and kicking towards the Witton and he scores an absolute screamer straight from a throw in if i remember rightly. Within a few minutes that bastion of fair play and integrity Kenny Burns fucks up a clearance and sets up Brian for the winner. We also announced on that day we'd signed a bloke from Dundee Utd called Andy Gray for £110,000.
RIP Chico.
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Really sad news. He was a shining star in our team and was so influential in the change and resurgence of Aston Villa. he joined in 1969, took us to a league cup final as a 3rd div team, then helped us get back to div 2 and then the top tier. A proper modern player in a proper team. Great part of our history. Another HEITS :(
(https://i.ibb.co/HNP12k3/IMG-8848.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HNP12k3)
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Very sad news. I met him at the end of season awards in 2001 on the day we relegated Coventry. I went over and said Chico can I have an autograph please? He angrily replied that his name was Ian. That was me told!
I'm glad my memory isn't as bad as I sometimes think. I was about to post that he wasn't a fan of being called Chico, a nickname given after the great American jazz drummer. Where my memory lets me down is recalling the times I saw him play for us, I was at Villa Park for the West Ham Boxing Day game but don't remember much, if anything. I was obviously too young or too small or both, standing at the bottom of the Witton End hanging onto the railings. I do remember his runs, his close control and probably for me, the first Villa player to look like a rock star.
Just checked, Chico came on as a sub to replace Brian Little against Cardiff in 72/73, my first ever match. His quality was obviously appreciated not only by Vic Crowe but also Ron Saunders.
Rest in Peace, Chico Ian.
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RIP
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Sad to hear.
The Doc signed him at the start of the 69/70 season for £40k coming from Southend. We went down that season to the 3rd division but by the time he left we were in the 1st division. He played his part in the two memorable LC semis against Man U, the final against Spurs, and the Norwich LC win in 75.
Along with the likes of Graydon, Little, Lochhead, Nicholl etc he played a very important part in our post 68 history. He moved on to Sheff U after us and they have good things to say about him too.
https://www.s24su.com/forum/threads/chico-hamilton.99784/#post-5150585
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Here's a bit about his shop that others mentioned which I well remember living as a kid in Wylde Green.
Click to expand.
(https://i.ibb.co/1sTR9Lk/52404175004-c99b4ca48f-z.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1sTR9Lk)
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Sad to hear.
The Doc signed him at the start of the 69/70 season for £40k coming from Southend. We went down that season to the 3rd division but by the time he left we were in the 1st division. He played his part in the two memorable LC semis against Man U, the final against Spurs, and the Norwich LC win in 75.
Along with the likes of Graydon, Little, Lochhead, Nicholl etc he played a very important part in our post 68 history. He moved on to Sheff U after us and they have good things to say about him too.
https://www.s24su.com/forum/threads/chico-hamilton.99784/#post-5150585
That's brilliant Andy, thank you.
He was a big part of that group of players at a very special time for the Villa and a real hero for us "trying to be trendy" types....he had the lot...looks, hair, football wizardry and even a boutique at one time I believe.
He holds a big place in our hearts.
RIP Chico.
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Here's a bit about his shop that others mentioned which I well remember living as a kid in Wylde Green.
Click to expand.
(https://i.ibb.co/1sTR9Lk/52404175004-c99b4ca48f-z.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1sTR9Lk)
That's the one!
Thanks again Andy!
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Brilliant stuff to find that cutting, ALITA!
Thanks
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Nick Owen made a nice tribute to him on Midlands Today.
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Thanks for that Andy. I was racking my brains as to where it was when Louzie mentioned it. If I recall it wasn't there for long.
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Here's a bit about his shop that others mentioned which I well remember living as a kid in Wylde Green.
I remember cycling up there to see it. It was just a few yards away from Johnny Dixon's shop.
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RIP Chico.
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Thanks for that Andy. I was racking my brains as to where it was when Louzie mentioned it. If I recall it wasn't there for long.
Precinct shopping centre. Buy a nice shirt, come out of Chicos, turn right and walk past the Chinese restaurant and the Natwest Bank and a minute later go and buy fork handles from Johnny Dixon.
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RIP Chico - very sad news.
One of my early heroes & I remember the day both he & Neil Rioch came to my primary school. I always imagined he was more than 12 years older than me.
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Very sad to hear this today. Chico was in the first Villa teams I watched with my dad back in 70/71 players like him and Pat McMahon, Lionel Martin are at the foundation of my support and love for the club. A sad day
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Like the previous poster Chico signed during my my first season watching Villa. Great memories of his time with us. RIP Chico.
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One of my Dads favourite players. A little before my time. I remember my elder sister telling me she was on the bus with my dad in Brum and Chico got on. She was amazed that my Dad was too starstruck to approach him !
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I remember being on the bus going to the match and sitting further up was Chico and Neil Rioch. How times have changed eh?
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About 20 years ago we were having a drink in the Holte pub, just after Lerner had done it up, and Chico was sitting at the bar, relatively unnoticed. I went over to him and asked if I could get him a pint and he asked for a pint of cider. I was a bit nervous/starstruck and the first thing that came out of my mouth was to tell him that our cat was called Chico Hamilton. I must have sounded like a complete dick but he laughed and told me about the polar bear at Dudley Zoo that was named after him in the 70’s. I asked for a photograph with him ( pre iPhone days but it was Robbo1874’s last trip to Villa Park that day before moving to Australia so he had his camera). He couldn’t have been nicer, put his arm around me and held his pint up. Still got the photo.
73, not really old is it? Any details?
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Did you not tell him you were CH III on here? :-)
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Did you not tell him you were CH III on here? :-)
I guessed he suspected I was an arsehole for naming my cat after him. I wasn’t about to confirm his suspicion by also telling tell him that I named myself after him as well.
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About 20 years ago we were having a drink in the Holte pub, just after Lerner had done it up, and Chico was sitting at the bar, relatively unnoticed. I went over to him and asked if I could get him a pint and he asked for a pint of cider. I was a bit nervous/starstruck and the first thing that came out of my mouth was to tell him that our cat was called Chico Hamilton. I must have sounded like a complete dick but he laughed and told me about the polar bear at Dudley Zoo that was named after him in the 70’s. I asked for a photograph with him ( pre iPhone days but it was Robbo1874’s last trip to Villa Park that day before moving to Australia so he had his camera). He couldn’t have been nicer, put his arm around me and held his pint up. Still got the photo.
73, not really old is it? Any details?
A good mate of mine had his budgie named after him. He loved that Budgie for many years until one day he stopped loving it due to the feeding and cleaning out of his cage which wasn't a cool thing to do in your teens. He was convinced that Chico (the Budgie) would never die. He did eventually at the age of 17 or 18 maybe even more if I remember correctly by which time my mate had left home. It was the source of much amusement to us in our late teens inquiring about 'Chico's' well being.
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73, not really old is it? Any details?
[/quote) I read he had dementia
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About 20 years ago we were having a drink in the Holte pub, just after Lerner had done it up, and Chico was sitting at the bar, relatively unnoticed. I went over to him and asked if I could get him a pint and he asked for a pint of cider. I was a bit nervous/starstruck and the first thing that came out of my mouth was to tell him that our cat was called Chico Hamilton. I must have sounded like a complete dick but he laughed and told me about the polar bear at Dudley Zoo that was named after him in the 70’s. I asked for a photograph with him ( pre iPhone days but it was Robbo1874’s last trip to Villa Park that day before moving to Australia so he had his camera). He couldn’t have been nicer, put his arm around me and held his pint up. Still got the photo.
73, not really old is it? Any details?
Love story’s like that.
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Just found this - there was also one named after The Doog!
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/what-team-cute-dudley-zoo-12801191.amp
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About 20 years ago we were having a drink in the Holte pub, just after Lerner had done it up, and Chico was sitting at the bar, relatively unnoticed. I went over to him and asked if I could get him a pint and he asked for a pint of cider. I was a bit nervous/starstruck and the first thing that came out of my mouth was to tell him that our cat was called Chico Hamilton. I must have sounded like a complete dick but he laughed and told me about the polar bear at Dudley Zoo that was named after him in the 70’s. I asked for a photograph with him ( pre iPhone days but it was Robbo1874’s last trip to Villa Park that day before moving to Australia so he had his camera). He couldn’t have been nicer, put his arm around me and held his pint up. Still got the photo.
73, not really old is it? Any details?
Love story’s like that.
Apart from the fact that Ali McGraw's character, Jennifer, dies, I can't see any other similarities.
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Ha!
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😀
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Sorry about the spoiler!
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Played in my first ever Villa game v Portsmouth 1974 , we won 4 1 . Loved how he stood out with his flair and hair , bit of my first Villa hero for me bfore I fell in love with Brian Little.
RIP Chico
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Just found this - there was also one named after The Doog!
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/what-team-cute-dudley-zoo-12801191.amp
Condolences to the Hamilton family, also a player I knew via my Dad and I’m sure I duly got his autograph at least once, will have to go dig out my book.
Please forgive the tangent on a thread of respectful memories:
I’m still slightly traumatised from seeing the sad sight of the repetitive head banging/swaying Polar Bear on Dudley Zoo visits in the 80s. I learn that it wouldn’t have been Chico or Doog as they’d left the club zoo by then.
I was curious about the reference to Tecton architecture as the enclosure was memorable (not necessarily in a good way, at a tender age I sussed it wasn’t where the sad creature was meant to be)
https://www.dudleyzoo.org.uk/tectons/ pretty interesting info about revolutionary modernist design led by a Russian.
Anyway I’ll gently check if my Dad has heard the news, away on holiday so I doubt it.
Gratitude to the heroes of the past, especially those that revived the club to lay foundation to the halcyon days of my childhood [hands folded for prayer emoji]
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Berlin Zoo has a polar bear named Hertha.
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Thanks for that Andy. I was racking my brains as to where it was when Louzie mentioned it. If I recall it wasn't there for long.
Precinct shopping centre. Buy a nice shirt, come out of Chicos, turn right and walk past the Chinese restaurant and the Natwest Bank and a minute later go and buy fork handles from Johnny Dixon.
I do remember seeing Chico's shop, never ventured in. Was it where Costa Coffee is now? Johnny Dixon's hardware shop I ventured into plenty of times. It took me a while to figure out who the vaguely familiar face was. I used to see Peter Bonetti in the Co Op from time to time before he passed on a few years ago. I believe his daughter lived in the area.
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One of my originals. RIP Chico.
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Brilliant player on his day.
Always got himself up for the big games, especially big cup nights.
All left foot and a really good crosser of a ball.
Had to change his role slightly when Ray Graydon joined but still played a big part in two promotion campaigns and securing our first division status in his last season here.