Gabby Agbonlahor

[Rory]

I always wondered if Gabby's popularity (both actual and perceived) deterred some of our weaker managers from taking a harder stance with him as his performances dipped. Would a semi-retired Houllier, an overpromoted McLeish or an unsupported and clearly increasingly pressurised Lambert want the grief of alienating a 'club legend'?

Reminds me on a much lower level of the current state of Barcelona. If a player, or group of players, feel that they're not only more powerful but more  popular than the manager, that can never end well.

[brentastonb6]

It seemed to go wrong when he discovered the gym. Lost his pace and energy.

That's a good point.  He seemed to get stuck into the weights one summer, and came back noticeably beefed up.  Don't think it suited his game to be honest.

Just a question. How many children did Gabby father with how many different girls during this timeframe , resulting in him having to set them up in homes in Streetly or elsewhere ? How much of a distraction was that ? At the same time as has been said we’ve not had one sustained period of strong management at the club where someone has taken him aside and read him the riot act , took him under their wing and tried to give him some steer of the positive kind.

[RamboandBruno]

We can all be disappointed in how it all ended and it clouds our judgement. But find some time to watch some of the goals he scored early on and Gabby had a lot of what makes a top forward. Blistering pace. Could score with both feet. Really very good in the air for someone of his height. Not the best at one on one and something he should have improved but he did have a few of those goals too. As he developed he became stronger and much harder to knock off the ball. He took that too far though and it affected his primary attribute. But he was a really exciting and influential player for us for a number of years and his moment in the sun was in the MON years. You could probably mark his and the clubs decline from the time MON left.

This summarises Gabbys time at villa really well for me. I’d add that in his really good early seasons he mostly had a class act in John Carew playing alongside him and they formed a really decent partnership. Benteke was a different player to Carew and Gabbys decline had already started, lots of players have gone that way. He was one of a raft of problems in the relegation year and yes he lost interest, but he’s not the only multi millionaire football player that’s done that, doesn’t make it right, but I don’t hate the bloke, bit OTT to me. He pissed me off in 2015/2016 and then I just rolled my eyes after that, but also gave me some top memories, not just blues, Man U away being the main one.
Not in the same class as Shaw, Withe, Saunders, Atkinson, Yorke, Regis, Carew etc From my era going down VP

[Ads]

I choose to remember the good Gabby. Good Gabby scored some of the best celebrated goals in my Villa following career and for that I'm grateful.

[Legion]

[paul_e]

We can all be disappointed in how it all ended and it clouds our judgement. But find some time to watch some of the goals he scored early on and Gabby had a lot of what makes a top forward. Blistering pace. Could score with both feet. Really very good in the air for someone of his height. Not the best at one on one and something he should have improved but he did have a few of those goals too. As he developed he became stronger and much harder to knock off the ball. He took that too far though and it affected his primary attribute. But he was a really exciting and influential player for us for a number of years and his moment in the sun was in the MON years. You could probably mark his and the clubs decline from the time MON left.

This summarises Gabbys time at villa really well for me. I’d add that in his really good early seasons he mostly had a class act in John Carew playing alongside him and they formed a really decent partnership. Benteke was a different player to Carew and Gabbys decline had already started, lots of players have gone that way. He was one of a raft of problems in the relegation year and yes he lost interest, but he’s not the only multi millionaire football player that’s done that, doesn’t make it right, but I don’t hate the bloke, bit OTT to me. He pissed me off in 2015/2016 and then I just rolled my eyes after that, but also gave me some top memories, not just blues, Man U away being the main one.
Not in the same class as Shaw, Withe, Saunders, Atkinson, Yorke, Regis, Carew etc From my era going down VP

This sums it up, i don't hate Gabby but I don't think he's anywhere near the club legend status some think he deserves.

[robbo1874]

All about perception isn’t it? On his day, unplayable. Unfortunately those days became few and far between. He was class for a couple of seasons, but the manner of the decline and lack of application together with his attitude towards the end leaves a bitter taste.

[KevinGage]

I always wondered if Gabby's popularity (both actual and perceived) deterred some of our weaker managers from taking a harder stance with him as his performances dipped.

It's a good point. 

I think Houllier had his number fairly early on and, had his health issues not reemerged, would have binned Gabby, Dunne and Collins that summer.

Garde was also wise to him a few years later and Di Matteo didn't even want him near the squad. But the boof merchants were delusional enough to think they might still get a tune out of him and were perhaps wary of fan fury.

It's odd that he still has it in for Garde after all this time.  Garde's first match watching us was Spurs away, the infamous game where the Gabbster touched the ball about six times including three times for the kick off. Later that same season Paddy Power ran a funny (but painful) meme about the tosser having more yellow cards than goals.

John Carew can probably say that Houllier had it in for him and scuppered his final year or so with us. Gabby can't really say that about Garde.  Which makes it all the more odd that (a) he still bangs on about it and (b) the club let him film this j'accuse rubbish in and around Villa Park.

[sid1964]

the reason most  think that he deserves the accolade of a club legend - is due to the goals that he scored against that lot from Small Heath

[tim]

A local lad, dreamed of playing at Villa, succeeded and was pretty decent too. Came from the youth set up and stuck with the team for many years. Yes, he faded towards the end, but the first part of the story is why I believe many have the thoughts of him being a legend - his story is one of fantasy for many/most football fans, so to achieve it (and for us to witness it) is impressive. I think it's easy to be down on him for the way things tailed off, but overall, he was a great player.

[Tayls_7]

A local lad, dreamed of playing at Villa, succeeded and was pretty decent too. Came from the youth set up and stuck with the team for many years. Yes, he faded towards the end, but the first part of the story is why I believe many have the thoughts of him being a legend - his story is one of fantasy for many/most football fans, so to achieve it (and for us to witness it) is impressive. I think it's easy to be down on him for the way things tailed off, but overall, he was a great player.

Your opinion is as valid as anyone but he wasn't nearly great enough. He doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as true Villa greats. I'm not just on about his lamentable attitude but about his playing ability.

[tim]

A local lad, dreamed of playing at Villa, succeeded and was pretty decent too. Came from the youth set up and stuck with the team for many years. Yes, he faded towards the end, but the first part of the story is why I believe many have the thoughts of him being a legend - his story is one of fantasy for many/most football fans, so to achieve it (and for us to witness it) is impressive. I think it's easy to be down on him for the way things tailed off, but overall, he was a great player.

Your opinion is as valid as anyone but he wasn't nearly great enough. He doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as true Villa greats. I'm not just on about his lamentable attitude but about his playing ability.

Indeed - not saying that he should be classed as legend necessarily, just it's understandable why so many perhaps think this way. His story is rare and to have witnessed it means many of us have been along for the ride - maybe that means there's a little more personal attachment for some which could sway opinion in his favour.
I stand by the 'great player' though - not 'one of the greats', but a great player on his day and the team benefitted plenty from his inclusion.

[KevinGage]

A local lad, dreamed of playing at Villa, succeeded and was pretty decent too. Came from the youth set up and stuck with the team for many years. Yes, he faded towards the end, but the first part of the story is why I believe many have the thoughts of him being a legend - his story is one of fantasy for many/most football fans, so to achieve it (and for us to witness it) is impressive. I think it's easy to be down on him for the way things tailed off, but overall, he was a great player.

He was/ is an Arsenal fan.

[Chico Hamilton III]

A local lad, dreamed of playing at Villa, succeeded and was pretty decent too. Came from the youth set up and stuck with the team for many years. Yes, he faded towards the end, but the first part of the story is why I believe many have the thoughts of him being a legend - his story is one of fantasy for many/most football fans, so to achieve it (and for us to witness it) is impressive. I think it's easy to be down on him for the way things tailed off, but overall, he was a great player.

He was/ is an Arsenal fan.

Reminded me that there was a giant inflatable dildo with a picture of Gabby's face on it being lofted over Villa fans' heads during our final Premier League game at Arsenal.

[Monty]

I've been watching a lot of MON-era highlights and, while Gabby was at times unplayable, there's no doubt in my mind that he wasn't quite at the same level as Carew, let alone Barry, Milner, Petrov, Young or Laursen. He was good, but he was good in a side of really excellent players - especially, I have say, Ashley Young, who I remembered being good, but looking back was fucking exceptional.