The men we couldn’t do without – Dwight Yorke

[Pete3206]

Yorke was on fire when Dalian Atkinson was injured in 93 then, Big Ron brought a clearly not fit Dalian back for the Coventry match. Result 0-0, while Old Trafford went into a period that started 'Fergie Time'

I'm not bitter.

[RamboandBruno]

If I had to pick my all time Villa 11, Yorke would stand a very good chance of being up front, probably alongside Withe.
Terrible for him to leave, but one of the best players I’ve seen down the Villa.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I've seen lots of our finest leave going back as far as Tony Hateley, but Yorke going was a real sliding doors moment.
The gap really started to open up with what was then the Sky 4. We missed the boat at that moment and spent the next 25 years without much hope of ever getting close.
These days John Gregory would probably be investigated for hate speech and/or incitement to violence for the comments he made.

[Rory]

Some players leave with dignity. Some leave without dignity. Some shit on the dictionary definition of dignity.

Yorke made a total cvnt of himself, repeatedly. He never played for us, as far as I'm concerned.

[dave.woodhall]

I can't help but think that while he didn't help himself, the biggest factor was Gregory's behaviour.

[Holte L2]

I was 14 when Yorke left. I absolutely idolised him.  He would definitely make my all time Villa eleven.  I prefer to forget about the aftermath of his departure and remember the good times. 

[Woody17]

Can’t think of another player I watched in the flesh that was better than him….McGrath the only one perhaps. Yorke could do anything with a football. He could score every type of goal.
I’ve never seen a player who had such balance as him in his prime. Was totally heartbroken when he went, and him going where he did….we all knew that he was the missing piece in their jigsaw.
I’m kind of over it all now….but something definitely died within me when he went, football was never quite the same for me. I’ve loved him, hated him and now mellowed a bit towards him.
Obviously a complete weapon of a man but that adoration I had for him as a player in a Villa shirt, I will always be grateful to him for that.

[brontebilly]

I can't help but think that while he didn't help himself, the biggest factor was Gregory's behaviour.

A lot of it was performative rubbish from JG. Yorke wanted to go, it wasn't exactly a surprise. JG was keener on being in the media more than any player.

[eamonn]

Some players leave with dignity. Some leave without dignity. Some shit on the dictionary definition of dignity.

Yorke made a total cvnt of himself, repeatedly. He never played for us, as far as I'm concerned.

Wow. Really? You were young but so was I. This player meant everything to me for a lot of the 90s. I'd never airbrush that just cos he's been a bit of a div/dick in the years since.

But yeah, why did Collett stop at the moment where Dwight starts to soar? H&V no different to Netflix in stretching content out into multiple seasons/articles, I guess...

[dave.woodhall]

Part 2 to come.

[Bosco81]

Yorke is my favourite player of all time. absolutely quality player, he had so much ability, and it is thanks to Brian Little that he realised his potential as a centre forward.

Loved the warm ups, which finished with him balancing the ball on his head and running off the pitch from the half way line.

[brontebilly]

His lower centre of gravity was immense. Couldn't be knocked off the ball. BFR signing likes of Fashanu and Whittingham when Yorke was already there looks very strange in hindsight. Was he injured or just not that rated back then?

[Bosco81]

I think Atkinson saw him as more of a wide forward, as opposed to a central striker, and when Little took over, he played him in all sorts of positions, until he settled on Yorkey as a centre forward, I vaguely remember him playing at right back for part of a game, might have been when we went down to 10 men at some point.