Best and Worst Players by Squad Number

[joe_c]

In a moment of boredom, I got to thinking about which squad numbers had the most or least distinguished owners since they were introduced in the 1993/94 season. What appears to be a complete list is here http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Aston_Villa_Squad_Numbers.html but prolonged exposure may hurt your eyes.

For what it’s worth, I’d say 4 probably has the most unimpeachable pedigree, until Sidwell anyway. 23 not so much. A couple of other patterns emerged (to me anyway) with popular knackered knee centre halves getting the 5 shirt and want-away weasels favouring 6.

[supertommykN'iba]

Number 31 - I'm not sure on Brock, but the other 3 were supposed to have a fantastic future in Football but it didn't work out. At all. Let's hope the same doesn't happen to Herd.

Prior to Petrov, Number 19 tended to belong to Players who quite frankly were a bit of a let down.

[cdbearsfan]

Best ...

1 Mark Bosnich
2 Earl Barrett
3 Steve Staunton
4 Gareth Southgate
5 God
6 Gareth Barry
7 Ian Taylor
8 James Milner
9 Darren Bent
10 Dwight Yorke
11 Gabriel Agbonlahor
12 Thomas Hitzslperger
13 Mark Bosnich
14 Alan Wright
15 Gareth Barry
16 Ugo Ehiogu
17 Ashley Young
18 Dwight Yorke
19 Stiliyan Petrov
20 Nigel Reo-Coker
21 Steven Davis
22 Darius Vassell
23 Bryan Small
24 Carlos Cuellar
25 Tommy Johnson
26 Probably Craig Gardner. **Shudders**
27 Ronny Johnsen
28 Shaun Maloney
29 Peter Whittingham
30 Gabriel Agbonlahor
31 Chris Herd
32 Luke Moore
33 Joey Gudjonsson
34 Colin Calderwood
35 Daniel Johnson
36 Kyle Walker
37 Boaz Myhill
38 Gary Gardner
39 Darren Bent
40 Matthew Ghent (don't know who he is but I'm not picking Fahey)
42 Andreas Weimann
43 Liam Ridgewell
44 Eric Lichaj
45 Marc Albrighton
46 Barry Bannan
47 Ciaran Clark
48 Nathan Baker
49 Chris Herd
50 Jonathan Hogg
51 Shane Lowry

For the 'worst' list I am only picking players who I have actually seen and deserve to be in there either by being shit or by association. Seems unfair to pick a load of kids who might not have played any/many games. I'm also not picking any players when all the players were at least 'ok'. Eg number 5.

1 None of them were particularly bad but I'll have to go with Peter Enckelman
2 Sorry Alan Hutton. He is improving though. A bit.
3 Stephen Warnock. He isn't.
4 Steve Sidwell
6 Stewart Downing
8 Robert Pirès
9 Marlon Harewood
10 Milan Baros
11 Stan Collymore
13 Michael Bradley
14 David Ginola
15 Ulises de la Cruz. He wasn't as bad as people make out though.
17 Moustapha Salifou
18 Fabio Ferraresi
19 Bosko Balaban
20 Najwan Ghrayib
21 Nicky Shorey
22 Hassan Kachloul
23 Habib Beye
24 Dariusz Kubicki
25 Gustavo "Shades" Bartelt
26 Saša Ćurčić
27 Isaiah Osbourne
28 Oyvind Leonhardsen
30 Hassan Kachloul
31 JLloyd Samuel
32 Aaron Lescott... mainly in because his brother always bloody scores against us
33 Joey Gudjonsson, the first player to make both teams!
34 Shane Lowry... but not the last.
39 Peter Enckelman
40 Keith Fahey
43 Liam Ridgewell

[paul_e]

18 has been a bit of a let down since Dwight let it go tbh.

[Irish villain]

We've had a lot of highly rated youngsters who never made it... Jonathan Bewers, Michael Standing, Steven Cooke stand out there.

[Ron Manager]

We've had a lot of highly rated youngsters who never made it... Jonathan Bewers, Michael Standing, Steven Cooke stand out there.

Iremember the Hong Kong tournament about 2000.Two players stood out a mile Steven Cooke and for Arsenal Jerome Thomas.  I really thought Cooke would make it and he didnt.I think hes drifted out of the game. Last I heard he was at Halesowen Town. Thomas at least has had a career of sorts in the top flight

[Dave Cooper please]

Stephen Cooke is now player/coach at Pelsall Villa.