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Villa hard men


sheepyvillian

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11 hours ago, KentVillan said:

Being hard is more about what you can take than what you can dish out

If that's the case then Brian Little is the hardest player of all.

Chopped down throughout his career (probably why it only lasted til he was 27) and as far as I can remember, never even got booked once.

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9 hours ago, Zatman said:

Fully agree with this, you dont have to kick people to be a hard man. Look at Maradona some of tackles on him were GBH but he still got up. Grealish takes a beating each game physically and mentally because opposition fans already hate him 😂

 

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42 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

 

Yes I remember seeing a documentary about Spanish football at this time and a hard man defender Goicchea? had on his wall as a trophy ,a pair of boots with blood on them which he proudly boasted he   had badly injured Maradonna.

Regarding Villa hard men I remember hearing about Steve McMahon .After badly injuring someone they were being stretchered off and he said to them “footballs a mans game”.

Edited by Londonastonvilla
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3 hours ago, rjw63 said:

If that's the case then Brian Little is the hardest player of all.

Chopped down throughout his career (probably why it only lasted til he was 27) and as far as I can remember, never even got booked once.

I think a lot on Brian’s problems originated from his back. He had major back surgery when he was about 40. He said Ron used to make make him run up hills carrying another player on his back. That is what he believes caused the problem.  

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5 hours ago, PaulC said:

I think a lot on Brian’s problems originated from his back. He had major back surgery when he was about 40. He said Ron used to make make him run up hills carrying another player on his back. That is what he believes caused the problem.  

He failed a medical at Small Heath and I think his back was given as the reason then, I thought it was his knee problems that stopped him playing or did Brian link the two issues?

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22 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

He does slap the floor with his hand every time he is fouled as if he has broken his leg. Scares the hell out of everyone. Gets players booked too which is why we have played 10 men so often this season.

The players get themselves booked.

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18 hours ago, Londonastonvilla said:

Yes I remember seeing a documentary about Spanish football at this time and a hard man defender Goicchea? had on his wall as a trophy ,a pair of boots with blood on them which he proudly boasted he   had badly injured Maradonna.

Regarding Villa hard men I remember hearing about Steve McMahon .After badly injuring someone they were being stretchered off and he said to them “footballs a mans game”.

There is a subtle difference between being hard and being dirty. 

hard is not necessarily fouling, dirty usually is.

It is a mans game and what is meant by that, is playing with passion and a "will to win"

going for the ball with conviction, not half hearted and half soaked.......showing determination and a fearless approach to opponents.

That is what this thread is all about, players who showed those qualities.

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On 18/04/2020 at 14:13, John said:

Didn't Tulip leave for the Noses before Dick Edwards was signed? I seem to remember Lew Chatterley and Fred Turnbull, playing with Dick quite often.... 

  image.jpeg.fd6c5f78c0738cbfcdfe522905d66b62.jpeg

Very possibly I was 8 at the time and couldn’t understand why he was called BIG Dick Edwards, he didn’t seem that tall. But also remember watching Lew Chatterley and Fred Tutnbull in many games.

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Can you imagine how current fans would have reacted to having a back line that included names like  Lew  Chatterley, Fred Turnball , Dick Edwards and Charlie Aitken ? I’m guessing not good enough for the Prem would be a starting point.

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3 minutes ago, smg said:

Can you imagine how current fans would have reacted to having a back line that included names like  Lew  Chatterley, Fred Turnball , Dick Edwards and Charlie Aitken ? I’m guessing not good enough for the Prem would be a starting point.

Aitken was good enough, but our defence as a whole ultimately didn't even prove good enough for Division 2 did it? 😕

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Sadly not but we still went to support them even if the crowds were around 10-12 thousand in div 2 soon rocketed to 30 thousand plus when when we starting winning in div 3 though.  Perhaps we are turning full circle , our defence is still not good enough, and attendances will fall again if we drop down again. But when we start winning again the FANS will be back.  Supporters will have always been there.

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On 18/04/2020 at 14:48, rjw63 said:

If that's the case then Brian Little is the hardest player of all.

Chopped down throughout his career (probably why it only lasted til he was 27) and as far as I can remember, never even got booked once.

It's funny you should mention the booking. He was far too laid back to be getting involved in any on the field shenanigans. He was elegance personified, even on the most muddy of surfaces. I still remember vividly that wonderful hat- trick against QPR at Highbury. 

Without doubt, my favourite player of all time.

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33 minutes ago, John said:

Exactly. That hat trick was simply brilliant and it was really a special night at Highbury. My favourite Villa player of all time too. I got to tell him recently at a book signing and said, that he probably heard that a lot. "Not these days" he said with a smile. Those goals and the two at Old Trafford in the final, were Brian at his very best. For those of us that were lucky enough to be there, he will always walk on water! 

Quite John. Disgracefully overlook by England, along with the best right back I ever saw ,John Gidman.

Edited by meregreen
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I don’t think traditionally we’ve been a ‘hard’ team, we’ve had some solid players namely defenders but that goes with the territory. If I’d have to say one from recent time Hutton always looked like he gave as good as he got, also remember Alan Thompson here for a little while think he was quite solid.

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On 19/04/2020 at 07:43, Wezbid said:

I don't think going out injuring people makes you a hard man. Any tw@t could lunge their body weight studs 1st, high on someone's leg. 

As mentioned, it's the getting back up and carrying on when you're battered, bruised, broken limbed etc. 

When I watch the Maradona video, he looks like the hard one to me whilst the Bilbao players look like cowards purposefully trying to injure someone. 

 

Do you remember Dennis Smith at Stoke?......must have broken every bone in his body....some more than once.

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