The Unsung Heroes Aston Villa xi

[Rico]

David Geddis. Overshadowed by Withe and Shaw, but always seemed to Get goals when called into the team. Very unsung hero in my opinion.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Neil Rioch.  We got him basically for free with his brother.  Played only a little but went on to become a tireless and loyal club servant off the field.

First englishmen to touch the ball in 1966 world cup final.



https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/694865/World-Cup-1966-England-champions-memories-final

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Fred Turnbull. Scored an own goal at home to Preston which ignited the 1968 revolution.

[steamer]

I had a cut out of Fred from the old official magazine

[nick harper]

David Geddis. Overshadowed by Withe and Shaw, but always seemed to Get goals when called into the team. Very unsung hero in my opinion.

In 80/81 he scored some very important winners against Wolves, Southampton and of course two against Blose.

[Rico]

Going to throw in a controversial one now. How about Gary Shaw? League Championship winner, European Cup winner, Super Cup winner, UEFA young player award. If injury hasn't cruelly ended his career early, then I believe he could have gone on to be the the best player in England (possibly Europe/World). Better player than Grealish. I know that for us fans who lived through the Saunders era then Shaw is reverred, but in the wider footballing world he's very much forgotten.

[simboy]

Ray Graydon. Played in all three divisions with us. Some of his crossing made Neil Taylor look accurate,  but actually so much came from his movement and crossing. Chipped in with a few goals as well.

[simboy]

Going to throw in a controversial one now. How about Gary Shaw? League Championship winner, European Cup winner, Super Cup winner, UEFA young player award. If injury hasn't cruelly ended his career early, then I believe he could have gone on to be the the best player in England (possibly Europe/World). Better player than Grealish. I know that for us fans who lived through the Saunders era then Shaw is reverred, but in the wider footballing world he's very much forgotten.

Could say that about a lot of the greats down Villa Park though. No real love outside VP for the whole of the 1981/82 team was there? Not many went to the World Cup in Spain in 82. Nowadays that would be unheard of if any team won the league and then went on to win the European cup the same year the World Cup.

In 1990 we finished second in the league, the only player to start the first game for their nation was McGrath, the only other person in any of the Home Squads was David Platt ... now you tell me why they didn't take Sid, at least! 

[RamboandBruno]

I’ve been going down since early 80s, and this would be my team of unsung heroes. This all blighted by memory and seeing things through rose tinted glasses.

1. Kevin Poole: just remember as a kid thinking he was a top shot stopper in struggling sides.
2. Chris Price: rampaging forwards from full back for a year or two and that winner at Highbury.
3. Garry Williams. Quiet, unassuming, quality player.
4. Sean Teale. Rock solid. Big Tash
5. Derek Mountfield. Bigger Tash
6. Birchie. Loved him when villa were largely crap. Never forget his chipped winner against Cov in front of the Holte the year we got relegated. Got an old programme here and he’s the featured player, he’d just moved to a new house in Great Barr, how times have changed, love that his name still gets sung occasionally, the ultimate unsung hero for me. RIP.
7. Ian Ormondroyd. Just because SGT had the temerity to put a 6ft 5 lanky streak on the wing and we nearly won the league with him.
8. Warren Aspinall. Not the greatest and his villa career ended with an embarrassing pre season 1988-89 incident, but his goals helped to get us promoted in 88.
9. Garry Thompson. Again not the greatest, but as a teenager I loved him. Socks rolled down, hard as nails, scored headers from 20 yards (as it seemed to me), would battle till the end. Helped to get us up in 88 inc 2 goals in 2-1 away at the noses. The year we got relegated we came bk from 1-3 to draw at home with Man U 3-3. Think Thompson got the 2nd and my abiding memory was him stood in front of the Holte arms stretched out either side of him, every muscle straining, pure aggression, loved it.
10. Steve Hunt. Only saw him second time round in the 80s, not in his heyday.
11. Mark Walters. Probably too good for an unsung, but I think forgotten sometimes as he buggered off to Rangers over Xmas 87. Great skill and that step over, I was forever trying to emulate that over the park as a kid. If we’d kept him that season might have won division 1 not been runners up

[cdbearsfan]

6. Birchie.

love that his name still gets sung occasionally, the ultimate unsung hero for me

🤔

[The Left Side]

What was the pre-season Aspinall incident?

[WarszaVillan]

I also only remember Steve Hunt when he resigned for us (alongside Andy Blair) in '86. You could see he was a classy player and was the original recipient of the 'has not hair but we don't care' (sung later to Chrissy Price) song.

[RamboandBruno]

What was the pre-season Aspinall incident?

I can’t remember exactly, I was only about 13 at the time, but he was our top scorer the year we got promoted, then something went on, on a pre season tour in Scotland and Graham Taylor fecked him out the door.

[RamboandBruno]

6. Birchie.

love that his name still gets sung occasionally, the ultimate unsung hero for me

🤔

He had a tight perm, a slight hunched back, lived in Great Barr and give it his all, what’s not to like

[cdbearsfan]

I don't disagree, but read your sentence again...