Sid Cowans leaves Villa

[PeterWithesShin]

I love Sid. A few years ago before a game I was walking across the North Stand to get to Witton Lane to sell the fanzine and a car stopped and the driver waved for me to walk across in front of him. It was Sid and remains a great moment in my life!

[flybo]

Sid i love that man sorry to see him go hope whatever he does next is a big success

[Virgil Caine]

I hope someone suggests to him that he should write his autobiography- he has been at Villa through the great and bad times and I can't think of any of the European Cup winning team that has wrote one. I reckon he has got a great story to tell.

[Exeter 77]

Sid Cowans was not just a great player in his own right but was responsible for making other players perform well because of his intelligence. David Platt would not have been the success he was without Sid having the nous and ability to find his late runs from deep.

[class-of-82]

Cowans was one of that special class of 81/82 who will simply never be forgotten and will be forever in the history of Aston villa.
I'm sure it was a question asked to Dave platt that what would he like to do that he hasn't done yet
The reply "make a run into the box that Gordon cowans doesn't see"
True legend

[Villafirst]

I see, Gabby stays and Sid is shown the door??

[spinksy the bfg]

Always thought he would be manager one day.

[Rioch is King]

couldn't half tackle as well

[E I Adio]

Cowans inherited the "tiny but talented scrap of a player who tackled without a shred of fear" mantle from Alex Cropley. He exemplified what could be done when you allied ability with attitude. Take note young Grealish.

I agree with your comparison with Alex Cropley. He was a huge asset to the team, but his game was supplemented with effort, aggression and perspiration as well as his skill. Cowans by comparison was also blessed with great vision and was satisfyingly silky smooth once he had won the ball. One of his great assets was certainly winning the ball in midfield and I'm sure that when an opposing player spotted the diminutive figure of Cowans closing him down he would underestimate Cowans' skill and determination and was often robbed of the ball before he knew what had happened. He'd then watch helplessly as Cowans delivered a killer pass.

[PaulWinch again]

I see, Gabby stays and Sid is shown the door??

It's hardly comparable is it?

[PaulWinch again]

Excellent player, and wish him luck in the future.

[TopDeck113]

was fortunate enough to meet him twice (once in a pub on the Chester Road in Streetly (name just fails me at the moment)

It would be the Parson and Clerk, Buccaneer or Hardwick Arms. I think he lived in Streetly,

Home from Uni at Christmas during the 1986-87 season I worked at the Buccaneer.  On Boxing Day I went to see us beat Charlton for one of the few wins of that campaign, then got on the 113 at Perry Barr straight to work my shift serving in the lounge.  Early evening and in came Sid, home from Italy, accompanied by his wife and Tony Morley.  He chatted to a couple of people at the bar and he'd evidently also been to Villa Park that afternoon.  He then gave me his order, which I served and despite reckoning myself a 22-year-old-man-of-the-world became a tongue-tied idiot in the presence of two of the Lions of Rotterdam.  I just about managed to ask him for the money and, when I gave him his change, say, "You need to come back, we need you."  I like to think that he reflected long and hard on those words, was wracked with guilt for not saying that I could keep the change and paying me back in kind was in the forefront of his mind when Graham Taylor called him, but I suspect not.

The Streetly-connection is because that's where his wife, Jackie, lived.  Before they were married she was actively involved in the Youth/Sports Club - which came in useful on the night Ron Saunders resigned.  A group of us played badminton on a Tuesday night at the Sports Club under the eye of one of the teachers from school. Another lad - an Albion fan - came running in saying Saunders had resigned, which we all thought was a wind-up, but he was adamant and obviously in those pre-internet/rolling sports news days there was no way of us checking.  However, Jackie happened to be working on the reception desk on that night so our teacher, who was a big Villa fan, got her to ring Sid who confirmed that the story was, indeed, true.  That scuppered the badminton for the rest of the session...

[appyarryampton]

I can only echo the tributes already written.
Always makes my all time Villa XI, one of the few creative midfielders who never ducked a tackle.
Good luck Sid.

[dave shelley]

I've watched him play at all levels for the Villa. A true legend; a true professional and a true gentleman. Happy retirement Sid.

Gosh! I feel my past slipping away.

I too saw him play for us at all levels and agree with most of what you say.  Unfortunately I haven't met him, yet.  Sid was two footed, had balance, his passing was legendary, he was hard as nails for someone who weighed eight stone wringing wet and, he wasn't all that bad at heading the odd ball.  Enjoy your retirement Sid, if that's what you decided to do.

[Ian.]

I see, Gabby stays and Sid is shown the door??

What a stupid way to spin this. Can we not tarnish a thread about great legend without a dig being thrown in somewhere?

All the best Sid, thanks for all the memories and service.