Savo.

[dcdavecollett]

Yes, the record fee for Collymore meant there wasn't much left in the pot for the rest of the squad's requirements.

With Townsend soon being moved on (probably a good sale, looking at the player's knee problems) Grayson and Nelson both saw some midfield action as there wasn't much choice.

I quite liked Grayson, but then I've always liked players who can give it a rip in several positions. Staunton and Gregory, both superior to SG, were other examples.

[Risso]

Yes, the record fee for Collymore meant there wasn't much left in the pot for the rest of the squad's requirements.

With Townsend soon being moved on (probably a good sale, looking at the player's knee problems) Grayson and Nelson both saw some midfield action as there wasn't much choice.

I quite liked Grayson, but then I've always liked players who can give it a rip in several positions. Staunton and Gregory, both superior to SG, were other examples.

Maybe after the Curcic disaster, Little just wanted a solid pro and in Grayson he got that. He just wasn't very good.

[Villan82]

Happy memories of Savo. It's such a shame we brought in Collymore. Curcic and Collymore were two massive flops at a time when the right buys could have pushed us towards a title charge.

[Villan82]

Loved him. Had we not signed Collymore - hindsight is a wonderful thing - I wonder how we'd have done under Sir Brian thst season come the end of the season.

Collymore signing certainly upset the balance, wasn't Yorke shifted to central midfield/number 10 for start of 1997 season?

Sir Brian Basically tried to play them all up front in a sort of 5-2-3 formation, and to say it didn't work is an understatement, as being 3-0 down at half time to Blackburn showed in graphic and grisly detail. We just got overrun. I think that game we had Draper and the ageing Townsend in midfield, and they just couldn't cope.

In Sir Brian's defence, it wasn't a bad shout. In 1995-96 we did very well with Tommy Johnson in behind Yorke and Milosevic so there was a precedent in his system. And Yorke had been sort of converted into a striker from a player who used to play as an attacking midfielder.

A real hypothetical would be if we had bought Merson a year earlier instead of Collymore and played him behind Yorke and Milosevic!

[Risso]

Johnson was an attacking midfielder though, who did his share of work. Even so, it wasn't that long until he was replaced by Ian Taylor.

[Lucky Eddie]

Johnson was an attacking midfielder though, who did his share of work. Even so, it wasn't that long until he was replaced by Ian Taylor.

I still can't read the name Ian Taylor without thinking to myself ' I fuc k ing love Ian Taylor'.

[LeeB]

I do love Ian Taylor, but in my mind back then he was always a player I thought we could upgrade on.

[JD]

I do love Ian Taylor, but in my mind back then he was always a player I thought we could upgrade on.

Wash your mouth out LeeB. He was great.

[LeeB]

I do love Ian Taylor, but in my mind back then he was always a player I thought we could upgrade on.

Wash your mouth out LeeB. He was great.

He was, I know, but still that's how I felt at the time

[JD]

I was only joking mate, should have put a smiley face  On his day he was brilliant and as a Villa fan he was given a lot more leeway than other players when he had a stinker.

[LeeB]

Alan Wright, Kevin Richardson and Garry Parker were others that I didn't appreciate fully at the time

[JD]

Alan Wright, Kevin Richardson and Garry Parker were others that I didn't appreciate fully at the time

Interesting. Richardson was a hard worker who covered lots of ground and reminded me of Des Bremner. He was the unsung hero but a very good player. 
Parker was great when he was with it, great goals, brilliant passes and sometimes unplayable, but he didn't deliver week in, week out.
Alan Wright unfortunately followed Steve Staunton, who was brilliant. Wrighty was a very good player imho.

Just my opinions of course.

[Daley’s dreads]

Ian Taylor did have his poor games though. I remember watching a few games where he kicked the pitch rather than the ball and looked quite clumsy playing even simple passes. Many redeeming qualities though and always scored a few goals.

[Meanwood Villa]

Supertom only came into the team when Taylor got injured. We battered West Ham away and went with it for quite some time afterwards. Don't think anyone thought he was an attacking midfielder at the time tbh. Taylor was back in by the time of the cup final and played his part of course.

[Meanwood Villa]

In fact, didn't Taylor only come back in because Johnson was injured?