Our best winger

[pooligan]

I actually remember us signing Mike Ferguson. I remember seeing him scoring one of the best goals ever by a player at Villa Park.Trouble was,it was for Blackburn not us.He picked the ball up a fair way from goal and proceeded to beat 4 or 5 Villa defenders before calmly shooting home. I remember most if not all of the crowd giving him a standing ovation. Sadly,i never saw him score anything like that for Villa.

[E I Adio]

I actually remember us signing Mike Ferguson. I remember seeing him scoring one of the best goals ever by a player at Villa Park.Trouble was,it was for Blackburn not us.He picked the ball up a fair way from goal and proceeded to beat 4 or 5 Villa defenders before calmly shooting home. I remember most if not all of the crowd giving him a standing ovation. Sadly,i never saw him score anything like that for Villa.

I'd totally forgotten the contribution of Mike Ferguson. The only thing that I can recall now is his stooping gait and that he wasn't very good. I think he was only with us for a short while.

[E I Adio]

Has to be Harry Burrows for me, Tony Morley and Tony Daley were both good but Burrows scored and made them

Peter McParland was my first Villa hero, so it would have to be him for me.

Great to see Harry Burrows mentioned. He was in a similar mould to McParland - strong, forceful, with an eye for goal and a great shot. I don't think he got the recognition he deserved and was a big loss when he was sold. Never understood why we sold him, we certainly needed him at the time.

He asked for a five quid a week rise.

Really? Greedy bastard!

I presume it must have been around the time that the maximum wage was abolished then.

Just after. His wife wanted a job where she didn't have to get the bus to work and the only one close enough to where they lived was less pay, so Harry asked for five quid a week extra to make up the difference.

Thanks Dave. That's solved a 47 year old mystery for me.

He should have known better with the local drapers in charge.

[SteveN]

I've already voted for Peter McP but for the teenagers out there, Jimmy MacEwan.  He looked about 55 when he joined us but was a tricky sort of player.

[pooligan]

Jimmy MacEwan  looked more like 60 to me lol. Dont know if its true but i was once told  by a ex player of the time that when Tony Hateley signed for us and started giving it out Jimmy Mac put him in his place as he was the clubs hard man.

[E I Adio]

Jimmy MacEwan was plucked from obscurity at Dundee and I recall him saying that he was absolutely amazed that Villa wanted him. He was in his late 30's when he signed for us, but he was a useful player and played for several seasons.

[The Left Side]

Morley for me!

[Ray Graydon]

Some great names mentioned. I would have loved to have seen Eric Houghton play just to see some of the free kicks that I have read about that he scored. A villa legend & fantastic club servant

[dave shelley]

I've been fortunate enough to have seen all these players mentioned with the exception of Eric Houghton.  They all have their places in my memory. Peter McParland was my first real hero along with Gerry Hitchens.  I was there when Ferguson scored that magic goal for Blackburn against us and yes, he did receive a deserved ovation fo it. (also saw Bobby Charlton score one similar about 1964/65) I'm pretty sure Jimmy McEwan came from Raith Rovers.  Harry Burrows hit the ball as hard as anyone I've seen before or since.  Tony Daley, the pace says it all. Walters never reached his full potential as far as I'm concerned either with us or after he left. David Rudge just wasn't good enough imo. Tony Morley don't know why I just loved watching him.  I was at Goodison the day he scored THAT goal.  I swear to God that ball was still picking up speed when it hit the net, fully deserved goal of the season accolade.  Ray Graydon was another I loved watching, never less than 100% from Ray and always looked as though he was enjoying himself something I don't see much of today. Willie Anderson another who when he was good he was very very good but when he wasn't.... That covers most of them and it's been my privelege to watch them, but my standout has to be Peter Mac an all round forward.