Happy Birthday

[PaulTheVillan]

ma' lord.

53 today.

[QBVILLA]

53

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The greatest Villa player i've ever seen.
At his height for us, i'd say he was probably the best centre half in the world (with Baresi).

[QBVILLA]

The greatest Villa player i've ever seen.
At his height for us, i'd say he was probably the best centre half in the world (with Baresi).

I remember when we signed him my old man told me that we'd just signed the best defender in the country and to take no notice that his knees were shot. He certainly got that one right. I remember him making a young Ryan Giggs look slow simply down to his reading of the game. Class, utter class.

[garyshawsknee]

The greatest Villa player i've ever seen.
At his height for us, i'd say he was probably the best centre half in the world (with Baresi).

I remember when we signed him my old man told me that we'd just signed the best defender in the country and to take no notice that his knees were shot. He certainly got that one right. I remember him making a young Ryan Giggs look slow simply down to his reading of the game. Class, utter class.

Yeah,I remember we played them twice within a week or so in 92,and he kept Giggs,Cantona and co all quiet. Best Villa player I've ever seen. Happy Birthday.

[PaulTheVillan]

53

Oh yeah. Ran out of fingers and toes.

[dicedlam]

Simply the finest player I have ever seen in a Villa shirt.

Happy Birthday Lord.

[PaulTheVillan]

Also,

50 today.

[N'ZMAV]

Fucking hell, time is flying. I bet Spinksy is about 76 soon.

[Jimbo]

Echoing what others have said, probably the best player I've seen in a Villa shirt. One thing that always springs to mind is when he used to get the ball on the edge of the box and go on a little run. He'd just take the ball and run with it in a straight line. Nobody would dare tackle him until the final third where he'd get rid. It only happened occasionally, but whenever he went on one of those runs I always remember thinking 'why doesn't anybody tackle him?' The answer was, of course, because they were in the presence of God.

[N'ZMAV]

I honestly feel for a lot of Villa fans these days that never saw him play. A true legend. Not a legend, like some of the modern day era, as that word seems to be rather loosley used these days, but there can be no doubt that Paul fits into that category.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Best Villa player I've ever seen, absolute gent as well

[Toronto Villa]

Still recall watching him in a friendly at Villa Park vs Hibs. Head, shoulders, knees and toes above everyone else on the pitch and despite all of his well documented issues, remained consistently outstanding in his time with us. Happy Birthday sir.

[Ozzjim]

I thought this was a lovely thread to cheer up Risso on his birthday.


Happy birthday to lord Paul. He was a true great, and deserves every bit of praise he gets. His book was very moving too.

[Risso]

I can't remember ever seeing another defender who'd you pay to watch.  We've had good defenders before and since, but watching McGrath was actually exciting like the best attacking players.