Can you name the player?

[Oh Andy]

I have found a photo taken at Bodymoor Heath approx 1973.
I can name the players on Charlie aitken's left but have no idea of the fella to his right.

Can anyone help? I think he must have played in the reserves.

[PeterWithesShin]

Set up an account at www.photobucket.com download the photo to it, then you will have a photobucket link that will work here. Use the IMG Code link. Hope that helps.

[Oh Andy]

Cheers Peter Withe's shin.

[SarkGrime]

Could it be Dave Gibson?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I dont think its Dave Gibson, he was older and left in 1972 to Exeter.
I reckon its Tony Betts, who was a forward in the youth cup winning side of `72 and played a handful of 1st team games 74/75 before heading off to Portland.

Nice cars in the car park behind by the way. Where are the Ferraris ?

[Oh Andy]

Thanks,I'll check him out. It's definitely not Dave Gibson. A few people have come up with his name.
The cars do make me laugh. They must have been the business back then. I've got photos of John Gidman and Jim Cumbes which show off the cars better. I'll post them later. I'm sure Charlie Aitken is getting into his mini on one of them.

[darren woolley]

Got me on this one.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Heres a pic of Tony Betts when he was with Portland a few years on.

[Oh Andy]

Well done Andy Lochhead.
Here's another pic, this time of the great Tony Betts in his Portland days scoring against the average Bobby Moore.




I can't believe the Villa connection from that Portland team. At least 5 that had been at Villa plus Withey who was to arrive a few years later.

[PeterWithesShin]

Withe is in that picture.

[Oh Andy]

Yes I know, I meant to arrive at Villa a few years later.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I counted eight Villa connections in that Portland team picture.
Tony Betts, Brian Godfrey, Willie Anderson, Leo Crowther, Peter Withe, Mick Hoban, Barry Lynch, Vic Crowe.

Other midland players in that picture too. Chris Dangerfield was from Sutton and was a couple of years above me at school, was on Wolves books for a while.

[Oh Andy]

I miscounted, I had 7.
I'd never heard of Mick Hoban and never realsied he had played for us.

Here's a couple more photos to show off the luxurious Bodymoor Heath and some of the player's quality cars. 

[b23]

Cumbes J. and Gidman J. Assorted Ford Cortinas, an Escort Mk 1, one Spitfire and a Mini. The car on the left has a blanket over the windscreen.

[Oh Andy]

Oh yes, the blanket on the windscreen.I think Ray Graydon was giving Vic Crowe's secretary one in there.