Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Legion on June 16, 2025, 06:27:46 PM
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Passed away.
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Sad news. Central defender, Tommy Cummings bought him from Mansfield Town for about 35k. He was around when The Doc arrived but was one of those that fell out with him as everything went pear shaped in season 69/70. Played the guitar and used to entertain the team.
RIP Big Dick Edwards.
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From AVFC
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/16/tribute-to-dick-edwards/
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RIP.
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Rest in Peace, as an addendum to ALITA's comment I believe that Dick Edwards was a well known Country and Western singer around his native Torquay, if memory serves.
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Well that news was surreal to read given my user name! One of the first players I remember seeing live in my early years watching the Villa. RIP big man.
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Dick Edwards was a big figure in that bittersweet era, and for those of a certain age, one of the characters who helped define it.
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Rest in Peace, as an addendum to ALITA's comment I believe that Dick Edwards was a well known Country and Western singer around his native Torquay, if memory serves.
He was, and he also lived in Belgium for a time.
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Rest in Peace.
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Strumming his guitar up above a cloud in the sky.
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One of my first Villa heroes. RIP Dick.
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Poster Big Dick Edwards will be upset.
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Poster Big Dick Edwards will be upset.
see above ^^^^^^
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Rest in peace. I always thought he was an excellent centre half but as a young teenager I thought that all of our players should be internationals. I read he also survived throat cancer later in life.
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Rest in peace. I always thought he was an excellent centre half but as a young teenager I thought that all of our players should be internationals. I read he also survived throat cancer later in life.
In many photos he had a fag in his mouth.
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RIP he was playing when I started going down with my dad happy memories of the Doc era
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Poster Big Dick Edwards will be upset.
see above ^^^^^^
Missing the Big, think there's another poster with the full moniker.
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It was Dick Edwards who got the first goal of The Doc era. Just 4 minutes in, we won 2-1 at home to Norwich.
There are a lot of fascinating press cuttings on the Villa history page for that game.
https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3008
https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3008?pgid=lo24lksw-9be7fa_452579a21db84e29a5fafa80d764993emv2.png
https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3008?pgid=lo24lksw-9be7fa_d52effd3237d4a69b2511c0c1cfa1983mv2.png
https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3008?pgid=lo24lksw-9be7fa_ecdd7f8e38aa47e2922417cddb633257mv2.png
https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3008?pgid=lo24lksw-9be7fa_8ec60d15f7d94551a5291d7036074ac0mv2.png
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RIP
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Bless him
One of first heroes
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HEITS!
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Didnt he used to gave a sports shop on Witton Lane, or am I confusing him with someone else?
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Didnt he used to gave a sports shop on Witton Lane, or am I confusing him with someone else?
You could be thinking of our former manager Dick Taylor.
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Didnt he used to gave a sports shop on Witton Lane, or am I confusing him with someone else?
You could be thinking of our former manager Dick Taylor.
Dick Taylor Sports was on Witton Road. On the left after Witton island heading towards town, fairly sure it was on the corner of Bevington Road.
Here's a picture of Dick Taylor in his shop. Other good stuff to look at here.
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/aston-villa-history.39175/page-8
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As a boy I remember watching Dick Edwards with my Dad from the Holte end, he seemed as hard as nails, he quickly became a hero for me at a very tough time for the club
RIP
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I met him briefly in Sutton Park once by the swimming pool, seemed a nice fella borne out later up at Bury when the ball went out for a throw-in and I threw it back to Dick and he winked at me. I must have made an impression on him in Sutton. Oh be still my beating heart 💓.
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I met him briefly in Sutton Park once by the swimming pool, seemed a nice fella borne out later up at Bury when the ball went out for a throw-in and I threw it back to Dick and he winked at me. I must have made an impression on him in Sutton. Oh be still my beating heart 💓.
That must have been the 3-2 defeat just before The Doc arrived when Arthur Cox was in caretaker charge.
I can recall that day well even though I was only 11. Cummings had been sacked and the board were finally throwing in the towel. I can't remember the precise timeline but the meeting at Digbeth Civic Hall was around that time and the headline appearing in the paper `Aston Villa up for sale!` The crowd was only about 5k. Wouldn't have been loads from Villa. Unusually I was standing on the covered terrace behind the goal with my Mom & Dad, it was normally seats when they took us to away games at that age. The mood had changed from outright protest as at the Preston home game. You knew things were finally going to change but had no idea how. Loads of rumours flying about such as Americans coming in to buy us.
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A mates brother in law is in hospital and was saying that in the next bed was a former Villa keeper from the late 60’s.
? Yarnold. Didn’t manage a 1st team appearance.
I don’t remember him, but maybe some of the older guys might.
Sadly he passed away, too.
Apologies for piggy backing this thread, but didn’t want to start a new one just in case I got name wrong.
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I've just had a look and there was an Andrew Yarnold from Bromsgrove who signed for the academy aged 16 but never made the first team. He doesn't fit the profile you describe Nigel if he was there in the late sixties. There's a piece in the Worcester News about it. I'm sorry I can't link it.
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I've just had a look and there was an Andrew Yarnold from Bromsgrove who signed for the academy aged 16 but never made the first team. He doesn't fit the profile you describe Nigel if he was there in the late sixties. There's a piece in the Worcester News about it. I'm sorry I can't link it.
Thanks Dave, I’ll have a look and ask my mates Bro in Law if the time profile was right
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A mates brother in law is in hospital and was saying that in the next bed was a former Villa keeper from the late 60’s.
? Yarnold. Didn’t manage a 1st team appearance.
I don’t remember him, but maybe some of the older guys might.
Sadly he passed away, too.
Apologies for piggy backing this thread, but didn’t want to start a new one just in case I got name wrong.
Anthony Yarnold
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There was a country music tribute night for him a few years ago, he had cancer and couldn't sing any more. Neil Rioch organised some of Dick's former team mates to come up and do a presentation. It was a good night from what I heard.
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That has struck a Chord, I am sure there is a picture of him in an old programme or Villa publication , playing a guitar.
I will have a look at the weekend.
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I am sure you are right Steamer.
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RIP Dick, and condolences to his family and friends.
Thanks for the Villa memories.
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Fell out of favour with Docherty (who had earlier suggested he should be in the England team!) and never played under Vic Crowe.
Scored a goal against us for Torquay in the FA Cup first round at Plainmoor in 1970.