The Nearly Men

[RussellC]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

I remember that edition of Shoot. Wasn't it the April Fool's edition?! I remember hating them for getting my hopes up afterwards. Don't think I bought another issue again!

[The Laughing Policeman]

Weren't we once linked with David Villa a few years ago?

[JD]

I think we were linked with Mario Yepes a few years ago when JPA was playing for Villa.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I was at that Brazil - Sweden match at Villa Park. Seem to remember it was a 0-0 and the only other thing I remember about the game is that Brazil played in blue (presumably Sweden were in yellow).

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Nearly Cooper
Nearly Cox
Nearly Rioch

......I'll get me coat.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Wesley Sneijder, Miguel Veloso, Sylvain Distin, Sol Campbell.....all of them, in one article.
In fairness to The Mail it did correctly predict we were going to sign Stephen Warnock.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-make-a-play-for-real-99239

[Gregorys Boy]

In the summer of 1995 we were linked with  Les Ferdinand, Dennis Bergkamp, Gazza and Shoot magazine even claimed we'd get David Platt back. We got Savo, Southgate and Draper instead but things still worked out just fine.

I remember that edition of Shoot. Wasn't it the April Fool's edition?! I remember hating them for getting my hopes up afterwards. Don't think I bought another issue again!

Me too!  I was jumping for joy, going around and telling everyone who would listen, only to have my bubble bust by my mum later.

[ACVilla]

I just wanted one of those fancy Celta Vigo lads - Revivo, Mostovoi or McCarthy.

Oh yes, I remember the McCarthy one. That was a biggie at the time, I'm sure there was some kind of protest or something when we didn't get him.

Looking at that article makes me feel very sad indeed.

[itbrvilla]

Does anyone remember 'the list' that was photographed in the Sunday Mercury? Think I rember it had Batistuta among many others.

Remember reading something in a very old H&V about Totti.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I remember hearing us being linked with Sneijder and thinking 'there is no way on Earth he'll join us'.

[QBVILLA]

I may have dreamed this one but I seem to remember us being in for Gary Lineker before he signed for Spurs?

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah, when I saw the article I expected to read about Lineker.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Gary Lineker scored well over 300 goals in his career. Not a single one was at Villa Park.

[Villa in Denmark]

Amazed that Christian Vieri hasn't been mentioned yet.

[peter w]

Gary Lineker scored well over 300 goals in his career. Not a single one was at Villa Park.

I remember him mentioning it. "Good job I never signed for them as I never scored a goal at Villa Park".