Villa's Fab 50 Top Players

[dave.woodhall]

Close - it's Bobby Thomson.

[Daholteend]

Next up it's Harry Burrows.  Smashing bloke and his piledriver was harder and more lethal than Hitz.

Harry was the replacement for Peter MacParland when he left for Wolves. He scored some great goals but the funniest was against Peterborough United in the Cup in 1961 where Harry messed up a cross  and was as delighted as all of us that it scored and won the game.

Anyone who was in the Witton Lane stand watching Harry in the early 60's will probably remember how in the second half playing towards the Holte End Harry would enjoy occasional banter with the crowd especially if we were winning and he was far enough away to be spotted by Joe Mercer.

Harry was eventually sold to Stoke City where he replaced  Stanley Mathews. I was disappointed when Peter Mac left but Harry soon made up  for that loss. There were a couple of seasons there in the early 60's where Villa sold  Gerry Hitchens and then Peter MacParland breaking up a fantastic partnership.

I always wonder "what if" when players like those two left, but Harry Burrows was the kind of player that would remind me that Aston Villa has always had the knack of finding good players  to replace players who we thought were irreplaceable.

A lesson there perhaps for those of us who wonder who will replace Ashley Young.

Harry Burrows... top bloke

[PeterWithesShin]

Dion and Gabby join Saunders on the list of players that are better than Platt? Are they just picking names out of a hat or something?

[dave.woodhall]

Today's nomination - Mark Bosnich.

[Clampy]

I wonder if deep down Bozzie regrets leaving us.

[E I Adio]

Next up it's Harry Burrows.  Smashing bloke and his piledriver was harder and more lethal than Hitz.

Harry was the replacement for Peter MacParland when he left for Wolves. He scored some great goals but the funniest was against Peterborough United in the Cup in 1961 where Harry messed up a cross  and was as delighted as all of us that it scored and won the game.

Anyone who was in the Witton Lane stand watching Harry in the early 60's will probably remember how in the second half playing towards the Holte End Harry would enjoy occasional banter with the crowd especially if we were winning and he was far enough away to be spotted by Joe Mercer.

Harry was eventually sold to Stoke City where he replaced  Stanley Mathews. I was disappointed when Peter Mac left but Harry soon made up  for that loss. There were a couple of seasons there in the early 60's where Villa sold  Gerry Hitchens and then Peter MacParland breaking up a fantastic partnership.

I always wonder "what if" when players like those two left, but Harry Burrows was the kind of player that would remind me that Aston Villa has always had the knack of finding good players  to replace players who we thought were irreplaceable.

A lesson there perhaps for those of us who wonder who will replace Ashley Young.

Harry Burrows... top bloke

Seconded.

[Ads]

I wonder if deep down Bozzie regrets leaving us.

Best keeper we've ever had?

His kicking was shite, but for a time I think he was one of the few genuine world class players we've had over the last 25 years. I'll never forget that Sunderland game up at Roker Park. Fantastic night and best goalkeeping display I've ever seen.

[Norm Crandles]

43 - Jackie Sewell. Norm?

Jackie was a great player but his best days were at Sheffield Wednesday.    He would certainly make their top ten list.
I enjoyed remembering Harry Burrows through Ondaholt`s musings.  It`s a toss up between Harry, Stan Lynn and Eric Houghton as to whose shot was hardest.
I assume Houghton is high up on the Villa list.

Norm.

[Daholteend]

Eric Houghton is likely towards the top end of the Fab 50.

They say his was the hardest shot of his era. I don't know, I was too young to have ever seen him play.

I recall him as Villa's manager for the 1957 FA Cup winning team and later as a Director.

I did see both Stan the Wham's shot and Harry Burrow's and on it's day Stan's was harder. I still duck just thinking of his penalty kicks taken at the Holte End. As Nippers we were at the front of the Holte End right behind the goal. You wouldn't want to get in the way of any of those shots because you have to remember that the football back then was a leather weight.

I wonder what Stan and Harry would do with a Jabulani ball ?

Stan Lynn disgraced himself, for me, because he joined  sha and was on "that team" that beat us in the '63 League Cup Final!

[dave.woodhall]

33 - Ray Graydon. A good player but better than David Platt?

[dave.woodhall]

In with a bullet at 32 - Les Smith.

[Legion]

31: Harry Parkes.

[dave.woodhall]

At least he's someone you could call a Villa great.

[Legion]

30: George Cummings

[Legion]

29: Jimmy Dugdale