Sid Cowans leaves Villa

[JUAN PABLO]

Just heard the news

Good luck Sid  , absolute legend

maybe he will get to play more golf now in his retirement

[Small Rodent]

How many years in total has he been with us?

[Duncan Shaw]

So what's the real reason for him leaving?

Not enough of the recent youth making the required grade possibly?

It would be hard to argue with that. Things seem to have gone stale all throughout the club and a fresh look at everything is fine with me.

I think a fair few people on here said more or less this at the end of last season, especially after KMacs first team interventions, that a root and branch review may see the entire youth set-up out, including Sid sadly.  If that is what has happened, then it looks like it's been handled sensitively and they may have even come to a mututal decision that it's what's best for the club.  Ben Petty and Tony McAndrew have also gone, and I presume KMac will follow?

As for Sid, its a shame but hoepfully the club will use him in some ambassadorial role going forward, and always have a seat available for him.  He is indeed an absolute legend and the superlatives on here about how good he was are fully justified.  Like someone said, he was at least an equal to Hoddle in his pomp if not better (he was certainly a better team player). 

I always be grateful that I was born in such a time that my teen years allowed me to watch the like of Sid, Sir Brian and Gary Shaw (my particular hero!) and follow the adventures in 80-82.  Sadly I fear our younger generations will never see the like and experience such times.

[ktvillan]

So what's the real reason for him leaving?

Not enough of the recent youth making the required grade possibly?

I'd think so - I was having a conversation with someone earlier this week that included the observation that, for all his great service as a player in particular, and the fact that he's a great bloke and Villa legend through and through, he probably needed replacing in the academy as the youth development has not been up the standards of many other clubs.  That goes for the coaching at all levels in the club. for the last few years at least.

Still love the bloke though and hope he can continue in some kind of club PR or ambassador style role. 

[Hookeysmith]

Some belting goals.

When you look at his honours it tells you all you need to know about one of our legends

My favourite memories was his tackling - he was the first player I ever saw chase behind an opposition player in full flight and launch his wirey body at him, wrap his foot around the ball, player goes flying and he came away with it - totally brilliant.

Enjoy the rest mate - you have deserved it

Oh and note to the likes of Gabby - if you had put half the effort in mate as this guy you would be thought of like this also rather than a tosser than spunked his career away

[cannock villa]

Two memories of Sid, one was seeing him at Alton Towers in the early 80's, first time I had seen a Villa player off the field.
The second still sticks in my mind, he played a ball forward between two defenders seemingly going nowhere, the whole ground moaned. Then it suddenly curved to a Villa player and the whole ground gave it a standing ovation, couldn't tell you when it was or who it was against.

[castlefields_villan]

How many years in total has he been with us?

I seem to remember he made is debut at Maine Road - 7th February 1976 - reason I remember ?
We had two away games in succession - Man City on Saturday 7th Feb 1976 and Sheffield United the week after - as an 18 year old, I knew I could only afford to go to one of the two - so chose the Sheffield United game. 

Coincidently, we scored first in both games, but went on to lose 2-1.

[serbentoflight]

The "top three" discussions on here are Sid, Gabby and Jack Grealish.....3 promising youngsters from 3 different eras...
.one will always be loved on here,
one has tarnished himself - probably forever
and one it at a crossroads in his career....If you EVER get to read this Jack...make sure you are a SID not a Gabby

[Bottom Right 89]

I think given that this will probably be the last time Sid will be involved with the club in a professional capacity that it would now be right for the club to mark the occasion in some way. At least we should be able to thank him for his contributions to the club at either the Forest or Brentford games. I doubt we will ever see another player clock up 500 appearances in a Villa shirt so deserves some sort of permanent recognition maybe an area of the ground named after him - Sid10 has a nice ring to it for potential safe standing area.

[sirlordbaltimore]

a 50ft high statue outside the Holte End will do.

[berneboy]

The "top three" discussions on here are Sid, Gabby and Jack Grealish.....3 promising youngsters from 3 different eras...
.one will always be loved on here,
one has tarnished himself - probably forever
and one it at a crossroads in his career....If you EVER get to read this Jack...make sure you are a SID not a Gabby

I hope you don't mind, serbentoflight, but I tweeted this to Jack.

[Pete]

How many years in total has he been with us?

I seem to remember he made is debut at Maine Road - 7th February 1976 - reason I remember ?
We had two away games in succession - Man City on Saturday 7th Feb 1976 and Sheffield United the week after - as an 18 year old, I knew I could only afford to go to one of the two - so chose the Sheffield United game. 

Coincidently, we scored first in both games, but went on to lose 2-1.

33 years service, on and off, since he arrived as an apprentice in 1974 at the age of 15.

[Toronto Villa]

How many years in total has he been with us?

I seem to remember he made is debut at Maine Road - 7th February 1976 - reason I remember ?
We had two away games in succession - Man City on Saturday 7th Feb 1976 and Sheffield United the week after - as an 18 year old, I knew I could only afford to go to one of the two - so chose the Sheffield United game. 

Coincidently, we scored first in both games, but went on to lose 2-1.

33 years service, on and off, since he arrived as an apprentice in 1974 at the age of 15.

Almost 43 years!!

[Ron Manager]

How many years in total has he been with us?

I seem to remember he made is debut at Maine Road - 7th February 1976 - reason I remember ?
We had two away games in succession - Man City on Saturday 7th Feb 1976 and Sheffield United the week after - as an 18 year old, I knew I could only afford to go to one of the two - so chose the Sheffield United game. 

Coincidently, we scored first in both games, but went on to lose 2-1.

33 years service, on and off, since he arrived as an apprentice in 1974 at the age of 15.

Almost 43 years!!

and how many years was his father Walter Cowans with us?

[Risso]

Didn't he have a blinder for Blackburn when they smashed us 3-0 in about 1993?