Aston Villa is an English Premier League club that has been in existence since 1897. The Villans are one of the most successful and popular clubs in England. The Birmingham based club has attracted numerous talented players to Villa Park over the years. Some have distinguished themselves more than others; they have won trophies, set records and achieved success at the club. Today we take a look at the exceptional players who have worn the famous claret and blue.
Here are the five greatest ever Aston Villa players of all time.
1. Charlie Aitken
The Aston Villa legend represented the Villans throughout his long, illustrious career from his debut in 1960 till his departure in 1976. Aitken appeared in Villa colours a club record 660 times, guiding them to various lower English division titles. The Scottish left-back is regarded as one of The Lions greatest ever players.
2. Peter Withe
Peter Withe joined Aston Villa in the 1980/81 season for a then club-record fee of £500,000. The former Villa striker featured for the Birmingham club over 180 times. Withe is remembered for his heroics in the 1982 European Cup finals (now UEFA Champions League), where he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 triumph over German club Bayern Munich. Peter scored 74 league goals during his time with the Lions and holds the record for the most goals scored in a single season by an Aston Villa player.
3. Gabriel Agbonlahor
Agbonlahor was one of Aston Villa’s longest-serving and most dedicated players in recent times. The Birmingham born player featured in over 340 matches for the Villans between 2005 to 2018. Gabriel is the Lions all-time highest Premier League goalscorer with 74 goals. The forward is regarded as one of Aston Villa’s greatest ever players of all time.
4. Dennis Mortimer
The former Lions captain is highly thought of at Villa Park, with many supporters regarding him as the greatest Aston Villa player of all time. Mortimer played about 317 league games for the Villans finding the net 31 times. The former midfielder is fondly remembered for his displays in the 1982 European Cup final. Dennis was part of a Villa side that shocked German giants Bayern 1-0 to lift the prestigious European cup trophy. He led Aston Villa to the 1980-1981 first division title.
5. Nigel Spink
Undoubtedly the greatest goalkeeper to have ever stood between the sticks for the Villans. Nigel played for the Birmingham club for roughly 17 years, making 460 appearances. Spink was part of the famous Villa side of the early 1980s that won the then English first division and European cup title. The Chelmsford born player was also the first Aston Villa goalkeeper to feature in the premier league.
6. Billy Walker
Billy Walker is regarded by fans to be one of the greatest footballers to ever play for Aston Villa and England. He was born in 1897, around the time Aston Villa was formed but signed for Villa in May 1919. Walker played 531 matches for Villa between 1920 and 1934 and scored 244 goals, 214 of which came in 478 league matches. Billy Walker is also Aston Villa’s top goalscorer of all-time.
7. Tom Waring
Thomas “Pongo” Waring is one of Aston Villa’s greatest centre forwards of all-time. The English striker scored 159 League goals in 216 league appearances for Villa, which included 10 hat-tricks. Tom Waring had a nice personality and was loved by Villa fans. He holds the club record for most goals and most league goals in a season (1930/31 season), where he scored 50 and 49 goals, respectively.
