Villa's Fab 50 Top Players

[andrew08]

It's getting to the point where we need to storm the gates in protest........oh we've done that already this summer.

[Mark H]

I am telling you if we have had 24 better players than Brian Little than I must have been watching a differant team over the years - utter madness and getting beyond silly now

[JUAN PABLO]

Brian Little was the first poster I had on my wall and I haven't had many since .  This says it all to me .

[*shellac*]

Brian Little was the first poster I had on my wall and I haven't had many since .  This says it all to me .

That explains your Juan Pablo username.

[Dave Cooper please]

25??? Fucking 25???!!!!!

I'd return my season ticket if I had one I tell ya.

[jimmygreen]

I've binned it - I'll wait til they've finished this load of old tosh before I click like again.

[not3bad]

I reckon to pick this fab 50 they had Paul Faulker drunk on whiskey, blind folded, spun round 10 times and then played pin the photo of random Villa player.

[Duncan Shaw]

I've just finished reading the Times article linked here, wonderful, misty eyed memories.  The way the game is now I suspect we'll never see such endearing times as the early 80's and the GT, BFR, BL mangement years again.

[The Left Side]

Oh blimey Sir Brian in at 25, it has confirmed it for me that this top 50 is a load of old tosh.

[VillaZogmariner]

24 - Gerry Hitchins.

[Daholteend]

Gerry Hitchens - Along with Alfredo di Stefano my favourite Centre Forwards of all time. I recall as a kid my Dad telling me that The Villa Board had sold Gerry to Inter Milan for 85,000 in the Summer of 62 and I couldn't believe it.

Next thing you knew they sold Peter MacParland to Wolves and IMHO the future for Villa didn't look good and it wasn't.

When they sold him, Hitchens had broken into the England team and was scoring goals freely which is why Inter wanted him. Villa needed the money very badly.

The move ended Hitchens England career with Alf Ramsey wanting locally available players to train with the England squad. Had Hitchens stayed I believe that Villa would have had an opportunity to thrive in the First Division instead of struggling and ending up on the spiral down to Division 3.

While with Villa, Hitchens scored a remarkable 78 goals in 132 games. Hitchens was  good in the air and with the ball at his feet and always gave 100% in the games. With Peter Mac on the left wing and Hitchens at CF our attack was exciting.

The thing about Gerry was that he was always focussed on the game and was always on the prowl for goals. He worked the channels and found the gaps and openings for his wngers and inside forwards to work with.

In fact Hitchens availability made it possible for Peter MacParland to score so many of his legendary goals because with Gerry in the middle teams would often not only have a Centre Half on him but sometimes would also have a Full Back or Wing Half as extra cover.
Many of Peter's goals were scored with Peter feinting a cross and then dragging the ball inside with his left foot and lashing out with his deadly shot.

After Gerry left, Villa  had a few Centre Fowards, Doogan, Hateley, and Rioch, who while useful just weren't anywhere near as good as Gerry.

Hitchens was the ultimate proof for any manager worth a grain of salt, that you have to have a deadly striker/centre forward. (The current ownership should take note. Keep Bent at the club scoring goals.) Without Hitchens, Joe Mercer's teams struggled and for us nippers behind the goal at the Holte End, life just wasn't the same.

The day Gerry Hitchens left the Villa thousands of us Holte Enders felt our hearts sink.

Lee Child, Villa supporter, author, last summer asked how many Aston Villa supporters were in an audience. He said the thing about Aston Villa is that though it is a great club, it occasionally lets you down. I think he must have been one of us Holte Enders that saw Hitchens leave for Inter Milan.

[JJ-AV]

23. Peter Aldis

That's a decent inclusion?

[supertom]

I'm guessing Najwan Ghrayib at number one.

[The Man With A Stick]

Sir Brian at 25?  I was half-expecting him to turn up at 9 or 10, something daft like that, but 25?  Wow.

[Legion]

22: Tony Hateley.