Little's team - where are they now

[The Left Side]

Paul McGrath is busy keeping the universe in order I believe.

[dave.woodhall]

When you look back at videos of the Little era, especially the year we finished 4th, you'll see what a great player Gary Charles really was.  Part of a very good defence and involved in lots of goals.  I don't think we've had a better right back since.

Agree with that Rissbert.  I think Earl Barrett was probably a better defender than Gary Charles, but Charles was better on the ball and was good going forward.  I would also put him above the likes of Mark Delaney and Luke Young.

I'd say Charles was the most under-rated player I can remember. The team were never the same after his injury.

[PeterWithesShin]

Funny how fondly we think back on Charles and Wright and yet I remember them (especially Charles) getting a lot of stick as club scapegoats at the time.

[supertom]

Charles was pretty quick. Decent player. For that one season he was excellent. We had two of the most consistent fullbacks as well as Southgate who Little turned into one of the best centre halves in the top flight. Even in 95-96, God was still pretty solid, even if the knees were really starting to give out on him.

The midfield 3 of Taylor, Draper and Townsend was superb. A really good balance of technique, passing ability and physical presence too. Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper and linking play as well.

I wish it was 1996.

[Dave Cooper please]

Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper.

So I've heard.

[tomd2103]

Charles was pretty quick. Decent player. For that one season he was excellent. We had two of the most consistent fullbacks as well as Southgate who Little turned into one of the best centre halves in the top flight. Even in 95-96, God was still pretty solid, even if the knees were really starting to give out on him.

The midfield 3 of Taylor, Draper and Townsend was superb. A really good balance of technique, passing ability and physical presence too. Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper and linking play as well.

I wish it was 1996.

You missed out Bozzie between the sticks!!  I think one of the reasons the 3-5-2 formation worked so well for us that season was that Charles and Wright played the wing-back roles really well.  I recall it being a popular formation at the time, but not all full-backs or wide players could adjust to playing wing-back.  Fernando Nelson was an example of that.   Charles and Wright were solid defensively as wing-backs , but were also decent going forward, so suited the role well.   

[supertom]

Charles was pretty quick. Decent player. For that one season he was excellent. We had two of the most consistent fullbacks as well as Southgate who Little turned into one of the best centre halves in the top flight. Even in 95-96, God was still pretty solid, even if the knees were really starting to give out on him.

The midfield 3 of Taylor, Draper and Townsend was superb. A really good balance of technique, passing ability and physical presence too. Yorkie up top was superb. Equally adept getting in behind as he was dropping deeper and linking play as well.

I wish it was 1996.

You missed out Bozzie between the sticks!!  I think one of the reasons the 3-5-2 formation worked so well for us that season was that Charles and Wright played the wing-back roles really well.  I recall it being a popular formation at the time, but not all full-backs or wide players could adjust to playing wing-back.  Fernando Nelson was an example of that.   Charles and Wright were solid defensively as wing-backs , but were also decent going forward, so suited the role well.   

Bozzie was fantastic that year. Forgot to mention big Ugo as well. He was unlucky over the course of a couple of seasons not to play more for England. It was almost like the England managers didn't want more than one Villa player in the back line and Southgate was the chosen one. Then again centre-back was where the country had a lot of strength in depth.

[Irish villain]

There was so much attacking intent in Little's side. Sometimes you forget that and tend to think of it as being based mainly on a really mean defence and only realise how much attacking flair we had when you watch back the old footage. We were creative in the centre of midfield, especially when Johnson slotted in and Taylor was always a goal threat in support of the quality Yorke/Milosevic partnership.

Compare that to the dire stuff we served up last year.

[gervilla]

I was sad to see Tommy Johnson go.
He could have done very well for us.

[saunders_heroes]

Funny how fondly we think back on Charles and Wright and yet I remember them (especially Charles) getting a lot of stick as club scapegoats at the time.

That's exactly how I remember them. They were the scapegoats of the team who got stick left right and centre from the fans.

[eric woolban woolban]

I certainly remember Charles getting a lot of stick, being made a scapegoat.

We had a good team that era. Then SVC joined...

[saunders_heroes]

I certainly remember Charles getting a lot of stick, being made a scapegoat.

We had a good team that era. Then SVC joined...

Wright got tons of abuse. Not as much as Charles though. I don't think you can blame our demise on Collymore though. Little lost the plot around that time anyway.

[Irish villain]

I certainly remember Charles getting a lot of stick, being made a scapegoat.

We had a good team that era. Then SVC joined...

Wright got tons of abuse. Not as much as Charles though. I don't think you can blame our demise on Collymore though. Little lost the plot around that time anyway.

I think Little needed Gregory with him. He tended to be introspective whereas Gregory was a neat counterbalance, or so they say.

[Stu]

One thing I noticed when watching the footage of those old Little sides was how well the ball was passed around. There was a patient build up and a willingness to get the ball back as soon as possession was lost - it really does look pretty contemporary.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

There was so much attacking intent in Little's side. Sometimes you forget that and tend to think of it as being based mainly on a really mean defence and only realise how much attacking flair we had when you watch back the old footage. We were creative in the centre of midfield, especially when Johnson slotted in and Taylor was always a goal threat in support of the quality Yorke/Milosevic partnership.

Compare that to the dire stuff we served up last year.

Forget last year, we haven't had a side as good since that team. We've seen a few glimpses under Gregory but nothing comes close to Brian Little's side. They really were a joy to watch at times. Stu mentions the patient build up but there was a purpose to our passing, a constant willingness to receive the ball, great movement with players opening up space.

That team led by Little, Evans and Gregory knew what modern football was all about.