Charlie Aitken 80 today

[john e]

I did see Charlie play because I’m that old but he is before my time to remember him with any recollection
But I do know one thing he is a true Villa legend

[Louzie0]

Happy birthday Charlie, one of my first Villa heroes!

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Todays teams.
 For Aston Villa...Withers, Wright, Aitken....

[walsall villain]

I was there for his debut and for most of his Villa career then, in later years had the pleasure of refereeing him when he played for the Villa Old Stars.  A thoroughly nice man.  Happy birthday Charlie, legend.

Yeah I was there for his debut Dave, also Johnny Dixon's final game.

and me, was it Gerry Hitchens last game too before being transferred?

No, I'm fairly sure it was against Burnley in the first ever League Cup.  I think he was gone before the final.  For those that never saw Gerry play, you miseed something very special.

Yes he was indeed, very direct. So Charlie’s debut coincided with Gerry Hitchens last league game. Charlie Aitken was my favourite Villa left back, quite quick I recall. He played wide up front for a while when we were desperately fighting relegation around 1966/7

[steamer]

Mr dependable
He used to play tennis on the courts behind the Beaufort picture house in Ward End
Always gave a smile and hello, nice guy
I went to his testimonial at Villa Park against Coventry
I seem to think he had 2 testimonials but could well be wrong
I also think he was involved in some unfortunate incident when his jewellery shop was robbed
Happy Birthday Charlie 

[Scratchins]

I was there for his debut and for most of his Villa career then, in later years had the pleasure of refereeing him when he played for the Villa Old Stars.  A thoroughly nice man.  Happy birthday Charlie, legend.

Yeah I was there for his debut Dave, also Johnny Dixon's final game.

and me, was it Gerry Hitchens last game too before being transferred?

No, I'm fairly sure it was against Burnley in the first ever League Cup.  I think he was gone before the final.  For those that never saw Gerry play, you miseed something very special.

Oh my this makes me feel old! I was there for Charlie's 1st/ Johnny's last game. As for Gerry Hitchens what a player. I saw him sell a dummy to the other 21 players on the pitch. For those who don't know - nicknamed Scratchins.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Todays teams.
 For Aston Villa...Withers, Wright, Aitken....

Todays teams.
 For Aston Villa...Withers, Wright, Aitken....

Or the fabled ....Wright, Aitkin, Arce, Hole..........

[wally58]

Happy birthday Charlie.
I remember making him laugh a few years ago when a friend and myself told him that we called the new stand 'The Charlie Aitken Stand'.

[Pat McMahon]

Mr dependable
He used to play tennis on the courts behind the Beaufort picture house in Ward End
Always gave a smile and hello, nice guy
I went to his testimonial at Villa Park against Coventry
I seem to think he had 2 testimonials but could well be wrong
I also think he was involved in some unfortunate incident when his jewellery shop was robbed
Happy Birthday Charlie 

Slightly pedantic but wasn't it an antiques shop?

My mom's favourite Villa player ever and I'm sure she fancied him. I met him after our first home game in the Championship v Rotherham in 2016 and he was a real gent. He also kept himself in good shape.

[olaftab]

One of my first heroes and in my eyes still the best left back we ever had. Happy birthday Charlie.

[steamer]

Mr dependable
He used to play tennis on the courts behind the Beaufort picture house in Ward End
Always gave a smile and hello, nice guy
I went to his testimonial at Villa Park against Coventry
I seem to think he had 2 testimonials but could well be wrong
I also think he was involved in some unfortunate incident when his jewellery shop was robbed
Happy Birthday Charlie 

Slightly pedantic but wasn't it an antiques shop?

My mom's favourite Villa player ever and I'm sure she fancied him. I met him after our first home game in the Championship v Rotherham in 2016 and he was a real gent. He also kept himself in good shape.
I think it was described as an " Antiques and Jewellery shop" I was to lazy to type the full description
I suspect the robbers were after the jewellery rather than the Antiques

[Pete]

I remember his last game for us 0-0 away at Arsenal first season back.  Got treated badly by the club at the end but that's football all over.  A proper servant of the club - hardly seen in football these days.

His last match was QPR at home a few weeks after the Arsenal match. It was my first visit to Villa Park.

[berneboy]

Happy birthday Charlie!
He used to live in the next road to me.

I lived in Orchard Road when he was in digs at the bottom of the road.

With The Abbey at the top!

[adrenachrome]

My Dad loved to see Charlie charging up the left wing.

Like many others, the top two lines on the back of my satchel was
Withers/Dunne, Wright,  Aitkin.

[Dick Edwards]

Todays teams.
 For Aston Villa...Withers, Wright, Aitken....

Withers was the first keeper I saw in a Villa shirt but the first Villa team I could recount as a kid began Dunn, Wright, Aitken..

Happy birthday Charlie. A true legend of our great club.