First Villa Hero

[nigel]

When I asked for a number to be sewn on the back of my first Villa shirt (early 70s with blue lion), I was told that because the white tape in my mum's sewing box was straight it could only be numbers 4, 7 or 11.  I chose 4 and with it Bruce Rioch.

Wasn’t Rioch 8?

You made me doubt myself for a minute so I've just checked my "A Complete Record..." and in the season (72/73) when I would have got the shirt for my birthday he only ever wore the number 4.

I have to admit I actually thought he was 6, I could only find the 71 league cup final team, he wore 8 in that game, so I assume he wore 8 for that season as Brian Godfrey was 4. Bruce must have taken 4 when BG left which ties in with 72-73.

Great choice for first hero, though 👍

[dicedlam]

Bruce Rioch.

[Virgil Caine]

Dave Rudge then because he hardly played he was taken over by Bruce Rioch, when he was sold, Brian Little.

[algy]

First would've been Nigel Spink, because I was army mad at the time and he was the man in green. First one for footballing reasons would've been Tony Daley.

[Rotterdam]

Gary Shaw

[Villan For Life]

He who walks on water followed by Sid and Des Bremner

[maidstonevillain]

Brian Little

[FatSam]

It was either Alan McInally or Tony Daley

[Steve67]

Gordan Cowans. Then Paul McGrath, now Jack Grealish.

[ldavfc4eva]

Savo

Had the blue away shirt with his name on, left footed like me too so I liked him all the more.

Plus his bandana!

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

The first wasn't a player, it was The Doc.
The first player was of course Andy Lochhead.

[manic-road]

Brian Little

[Grocer]

David Platt but the one I truly idolised even more once he'd signed was Dean Saunders.  We've had strikers with superior goalscoring records but I really loved the guy.

This pretty much sums up my first hero(es)

[Colhint]

probably Tulip although only being a kid, could never understand why he got that nickname.

[brian green]

Leslie Smith.  He was an England international and I was an easily influenced eight year old.  Then I got a natty centre parting and switched to Dickie Dorsett.