Olof Mellberg out.

[john e]

I'll never forget his arms aloft as he left the pitch against small heath

yes, that is an image that will live for a lifetime

[Dr Butler]

Class act, too.
Who can forget his gesture West Ham away.

Indeed. I gave the shirt I got to my nephew. I was also at The Emirates to see Olof score the first ever goal there. Happy memories - would love to get him and Laursen on the coaching team

I too was at both those games, seeing Mellberg bag the first at the Emirates right in front of us was amazing....and the shirts at West Ham was brilliant......I just need Olof to sign mine and then I can get it framed with the match ticket
UTV

[Phil from the upper holte]

My mate said to me last night I wonder how long it will take for fans to start to say let's have him back as a coach.

Making me chuckle already reading it

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

Would people class him as a Villa legend? It's a tough one for me, but I think I would.

Anyway, I miss him loads. Probably my favourite player whilst he was here.

[pauliewalnuts]

[Gregorys Boy]

Would people class him as a Villa legend? It's a tough one for me, but I think I would.

Anyway, I miss him loads. Probably my favourite player whilst he was here.

Think I would.  Played in some good Villa teams, and some not so good ones, but always performed to a high standard no matter the manager or the position of the club at the time.  Shame win didn't win anything during his time here.

[pauliewalnuts]

Would people class him as a Villa legend? It's a tough one for me, but I think I would.

No.

Decent player, nice bloke, had a real affinity for the club, but legend? I wouldn't say so.

[brian green]

My lasting image was Savage mobbing round the back of noses handbagging Olof and trying to gouge his eyes out. Yes THAT Savage permanently on the BBC passing opinions about everything and everybody in football.

[RussellC]

I would. I

Would people class him as a Villa legend? It's a tough one for me, but I think I would.

No.

Decent player, nice bloke, had a real affinity for the club, but legend? I wouldn't say so.

I don't think a 'legend' necessarily has to have been a world class player, or have won a trophy for the club. I think when it's obvious that someone has a complete affinity for the club (and in particular the supporters) and clearly gave their all whilst wearing the shirt, along with gestures like the shirts at West Ham away, i think they can be considered a club legend.

I'd certainly rather think of Mellberg in that sense than someone like David Platt.

[Gregorys Boy]

I would. I

Would people class him as a Villa legend? It's a tough one for me, but I think I would.

No.

Decent player, nice bloke, had a real affinity for the club, but legend? I wouldn't say so.

I don't think a 'legend' necessarily has to have been a world class player, or have won a trophy for the club. I think when it's obvious that someone has a complete affinity for the club (and in particular the supporters) and clearly gave their all whilst wearing the shirt, along with gestures like the shirts at West Ham away, i think they can be considered a club legend.

I'd certainly rather think of Mellberg in that sense than someone like David Platt.

This for me.  If you think about an manageral example, like Brian Little.  Villa have likely had much better managers than Little over the years who didn't produce as much.  Something just clicked with him.  Its like that with Mellberg, not sure anyone would say he was world class, but he was still a very good player, who remained consistent over his career.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think a 'legend' necessarily has to have been a world class player, or have won a trophy for the club. I think when it's obvious that someone has a complete affinity for the club (and in particular the supporters) and clearly gave their all whilst wearing the shirt, along with gestures like the shirts at West Ham away, i think they can be considered a club legend.

I'd certainly rather think of Mellberg in that sense than someone like David Platt.

I think you can judge a club by the stature of its legends.

For me the word "legend" implies more than the things you've outlined above, but ultimately, I guess it's all subjective.

I just think it gets bandied about far too often these days.

[pauliewalnuts]

This for me.  If you think about an manageral example, like Brian Little.  Villa have likely had much better managers than Little over the years who didn't produce as much.  Something just clicked with him.

Brian Little isn't just remembered at Villa Park for managing us, though, is he?

[pauliewalnuts]

On a wider point, beyond Mellberg, I think it's hard to apply "legend" status to players on the basis of how many games they played for us when they're being paid tens of thousands of pounds a week to be so "loyal".

That's not a dig at Mellberg, far from it, I like the bloke too, it's more a comment on how that bond between players and fans is totally different nowadays compared to, say, the 1970s.

[RussellC]

I think you can judge a club by the stature of its legends.

For me the word "legend" implies more than the things you've outlined above, but ultimately, I guess it's all subjective.

I just think it gets bandied about far too often these days.

I think you're right, and it's probably a sad indictment that none of our bona fide legends are form the recent past.

Let's face it, we still sing about Alan Alan McInally who played a whopping 59 games for the club!

[LeeS]

I think you can judge a club by the stature of its legends.

For me the word "legend" implies more than the things you've outlined above, but ultimately, I guess it's all subjective.

I just think it gets bandied about far too often these days.

I think you're right, and it's probably a sad indictment that none of our bona fide legends are form the recent past.

Let's face it, we still sing about Alan Alan McInally who played a whopping 59 games for the club!

And thousands of our fans never saw play even once because they are too young. To them he is a Sky pundit with an affection for the club.