The men we couldn't do without - David Platt

[rob_bridge]

McGrath is the best player to have played for Villa. Majestic.

I said that in my original comment - best player was born in Ealing.

[Sexual Ealing]

He thought you were talking about me.

[rob_bridge]

I loved David Platt. I hated the way it all ended, but fuck me what a superb footballer. Some seriously outstanding moments and goals for club and of course country. I don’t know why his bullet header vs Bradford always come to mind when I could pick from loads of other goals. Maybe because of the importance of it against them that season. He was Lampard and Gerrard before Lampard and Gerrard.

He was a far better for England than both of them put together.

[rob_bridge]

He thought you were talking about me.

McGrath on the other hand was an emigrant from there.

I'd always assumed you were an immigrant to the West London gentrification, well done for holding you ground when the Notting Hill overspill started with that naff movie.

My Big Smoke associates on the West Side could afford no more than Northolt.

[Sexual Ealing]

He thought you were talking about me.

McGrath on the other hand was an emigrant from there.

I'd always assumed you were an immigrant to the West London gentrification, well done for holding you ground when the Notting Hill overspill started with that naff movie.

My Big Smoke associates on the West Side could afford no more than Northolt.

I was an immigrant. I was born in Shrewsbury. Left W13 at the first sign of trouble.

[oldhill_avfc]

I honestly think we have only had 3 genuine World Class players playing at Villa in my supporting life.

As in could readily win a place in Liverpool late 70s+, Juve mid 80s Milan late 80s/early 90s , ManU & RM late 90s/early 00s and more recently and Barca mid 00s to mid 10s and Germany 1990, Brazil 94 etc...

He was one albeit for the final 2 years at Villa. Platt was patchy at Juve (competed with Andy Moller) though was brilliant for Sampdoria and continued to score goals for England for fun.
Yorke is the other 95-98. No surprise they went for at the time astronomical fees and latter made a great team into a legendary one.

The other one surpassed them both by a distance and was born in Ealing

I'd say Martínez before Yorke.

We had 3 world class players in that (York, McGrath etc) team.  Yorke was never quite in that company.

[LeeB]

Yorke was brilliant but I agree I wouldn't have had him as 'world class'. There were some great strikers knocking about back then and if money was no object I'd have taken them over him in a heartbeat.

[Jimsta]

I was also a big big fan of Platt, To me one of the best midfielders i seen in a Villa shirt, His first touch was just first class and brilliant in the air.
i do remember playing spurs at home 1991 Gazza was injured we won 3-2 Platty Hat trick, The Holte was singing " We all agree Platty is better than Gascoingne".

[markeeeebeeee2005]

McGrath is the best player to have played for Villa. Majestic.

I said that in my original comment - best player was born in Ealing.

Well there you go. I’ve learnt something new today.

[WarszaVillan]

I honestly think we have only had 3 genuine World Class players playing at Villa in my supporting life.

As in could readily win a place in Liverpool late 70s+, Juve mid 80s Milan late 80s/early 90s , ManU & RM late 90s/early 00s and more recently and Barca mid 00s to mid 10s and Germany 1990, Brazil 94 etc...

He was one albeit for the final 2 years at Villa. Platt was patchy at Juve (competed with Andy Moller) though was brilliant for Sampdoria and continued to score goals for England for fun.
Yorke is the other 95-98. No surprise they went for at the time astronomical fees and latter made a great team into a legendary one.

The other one surpassed them both by a distance and was born in Ealing

I'd say Martínez before Yorke.

We had 3 world class players in that (York, McGrath etc) team.  Yorke was never quite in that company.

And Graham Taylor bought all four, for less than 1 million quid

[AV82EC]

He may have chosen to not have had much to do with us for the last 35 odd years but he was one of the reasons I became a Villa fan in that post Italia 90 glow. I didn’t see the previous 2 seasons but even in the stodgy Venglos season he scored 19 goals in a team that very much underperformed but like others have said he was World Class imv. Shame he left but getting that much money was too good for Big Ron to turn down and he built a very good team out of it. I haven’t watched it but fair play to him for popping his head over the parapet.

[PeterWithesShin]

Great player, but a twat. His only interest was going to Italy, he was even learning Italian while we were struggling under Dr Jo.

[VillaTim]

Old Herbert built a stand on the back of flogging him and then named it after himself , gotta love the brass neck of the bloke .

[BC Villain]

Great player, but a twat. His only interest was going to Italy, he was even learning Italian while we were struggling under Dr Jo.

Think it's a classic case of a player getting into the England set up and then having their head turned.  Pretty clear Italy made such a big impact on him in 1990.

Was quite impressed by the podcast though.  Seems to be very reclusive from the game and media today, but spoke quite well of Graham Taylor particularly

[BC Villain]

My boyhood hero. I absolutely loved Platty. I was 8 years old when we got promoted back to Division 1 and it was my first season going regularly to games. All I wanted to be when playing football was Platt.

I was fortunate to be at the England semi final when Ollie got the winner against Holland and it brought back memories of Platts goal against Belgium. Being 10 years old and having no affinity to the England national team, I wasnt bothered about the World Cup from an England point of view, but Platt's volley had me screaming like a madman and running around my bedroom.

Don't care what happened after he left as his career was dead to me the moment he went to Italy. I just bloody loved him at the Villa.

In the cold light of day that goal is better than Gazza v Scotland, Becks's v Greece and Owen v Argies. Even Greece England would have been in play offs.

Last minute, no comeback against a very capable (albeit slightly past their best) Belgium team and an incredible strike avoiding being offside.

The technique on that strike was outrageous. Coming over the shoulder and hitting it blind. The timing was impeccable.

My favourite Platt goal though was for us against Arsenal in 89, when he took one touch to outfox the defender* and the second to stab it past the keeper. Brilliant. And what a Christmas week that was!

*Dixon maybe?

Think it was Dixon.  Probably the reason he's such an arse when he commentates on us now.