They Played For Villa . . .

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Villa have had some truly great players in their illustrious history. From Danny Blanchflower to Paul Mcgrath, Jonny Dixon to Peter Withe if i had to pick an 11 from what i have seen then it'd be something like this . . .



1 Nigel Spink
2 Earl Barret
3 Tony Dorigo
4 Martin Keown
5 Paul McGrath
6 Kent Nielsen
7 Dwight Yorke
8 David Platt
9 Peter Withe
10 Paul Merson
11 Tony Daley



subs
Thomas Sorensen
Gordon Cowans
Olof Mellberg
Andy Townsend
Ray Houghton





who's your 11 Villa lions ?

[RobB]

I have to say I`m a bit supprised by a coulple of your selections. I never thought much of Earl Barret or Dorigo. Keown`s treachery was too great for him to be included and as much as I liked Daley (his Fa cup goal at WBA is one of my favourites) he was a bit too erratic. Anyway I`ll go:

1. Bosnich/James
2. Delaney
3. Staunton
4. Southgate/Mellberg
5. McGrath
6. Cowans/Richarson
7. Houghton/Merson
8. Platt
9. Saunders
10. Yorke/Angel
11. Townsend

I`ve gone for late eighties onwards, if chosing a team from the last 25 years it would just be the 1982 European cup winning side. I`ve put my five subs after the /.

[RGC81]

1.Spink
2.Delaney
3.Wright
4.Southgate
5.McGrath
6.Cowans
7.Merson
8.Houghton
9.Yorke
10.Withe
11.Townsend

Subs

Bosnich
Ehiogh
Richardson
Houghton
Angel
Atkinson

[RobB]

Between us we picked 28 players from mainly the last 15 years and didn`t manage to name Ian Taylor. Probably the most loyal player the club has ever had and I think I`m right in saying still a fan, who goes to some games, when not playing for Derby. He should have been the first name on my team.

[RGC81]

Damn should have remembered him, Taylor was such a good player for us not very good memories then scored some vital goals for us as well. On another matter been bugging me for some time anyone remember who scored the winning penalty in UEFA cup against Inter Milan cant think of him.

[RobB]

On another matter been bugging me for some time anyone remember who scored the winning penalty in UEFA cup against Inter Milan cant think of him.


Phil King.

[RGC81]

Did he play at left back cause when I was thinking of the team and wanted the guy who scored that goal at Villa Park would nt come to mind though. Was left footed though?

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that Inter Milan game - boy was was one of the true great Villa games - wotta match!!! - almost eclipsing the legendary home win over Inter in 1990. Big Ron Atkinson had his critics (i wasnt one) but he knew how to get the place buzzin'!

Tony Dorigo gets into my team cos around 1983-85 he was a fine player in an otherwise poor Villa team. Maybe Steve Staunton would be a better choice based on service; as he could be regarded as possibly one of Villa's best ever signings - especially if based on his first 4 or 5 seasons.

Earl Barrett was class in my opinion, signed to replace Paul McGrath, he had to settle for an out of position right back role the whole of his time at the club cos 'God' was simply the master defender - refusing to retire (lol)

Ian Taylor - oh yes a great player! true Holte Ender - he would have been in my team had we never signed David Platt or even Andy Townsend



UP THE VILLA

[RobB]

I take your point about Barrett playing out of position, he never looked very comfortable going forward from right-back, maybe thats why I didn`t rate him, I prefer attacking fullbacks.

Platt and Ian Taylor could have made a good midfield partnership, Tayls anchoring with Platty bombing forward, a kind of Keane/Scholes partnership only much, much better.

And Phil King (The commentary on his converted penalty- `YOU BEAUTY!`) was left back, but only played a few games.

[Scene]

yeh i agree about ian taylor, he was a good villa player. he formed a decent partnership with Boateng, that team should have done better in my opinion. some of that 94 villa - inter milan game was on that itv programme on monday. WHAT a game that was man!!! it is debateable whether that was a better victoy than the 1990 game due to the level of performance by the 94 villa team which was awesome. i'd say the 94 game just edges it.