Paul McGrath, Peter Withe, Gary Shaw – Top 10 Aston Villa legends every fan should know
Aston Villa are one of the most traditional clubs in English football.
Unai Emery is currently writing his own history at Villa Park after helping the B6 club to qualify for the Champions League in his first full season as head coach.
The Spaniard has done a superb job of transforming the Villans into a challenger for the established big six over the last three seasons.
This campaign may have got off to a bad start with Villa most recently losing 3-0 to Crystal Palace, but good times are always likely to return under the former PSG boss.
Emery is viewed as a legend on the terraces in the Midlands already, but Villa News has rounded up 10 legendary players that everyone associated with the claret and blue outfit should know.
Charlie Aitken
Despite not being the most well-known figure around B6, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be given the fact that Aitken is Villa’s record appearance holder.
Having made 660 appearances across a 16-year stint at Villa Park, there aren’t too many more legendary figures on Witton Road.
- Appearances: 660
- Goals: 16
- Trophies: Second Division 1960, League Cup 1961, League Cup 1975, Third Division 1972
The Scot featured across multiple League Cup and league title wins, but also stuck around in 1970 when Villa were relegated to the third tier. A true legend.
- Read more: Why Aston Villa are known as the Villans
Peter Withe
Aitken may have the appearance record, but easily the most iconic moment in the Villans’ history is thanks to Withe.
The striker netted the winner as Villa secured the European Cup in 1982 with a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam.
“Shaw, Williams prepared to adventure down left. There’s a great ball played in for Tony Morley. It must be. It is! Peter Withe!”
Having signed from Newcastle United for £500,000, he was worth every penny for that moment alone, but also went on to score 92 goals in just over 230 appearances.
Gary Shaw
When he gets the ball, he’s bound to score, Gary Shaw.
The chant on the Holte End sums up exactly what the forward was known for, having netted 59 in 165 matches for the Villans.
In the 1980/81 campaign, where the Midlands outfit won the First Division title, the Birmingham-born attacker formed a lethal partnership with Withe.
He scored 18 league goals in that campaign and won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for his troubles, summing up his excellence.
Brian Little
There aren’t many figures in football that have had iconic spells as both player and manager for one club, but Little did exactly that.
Little was a one-club man as a player and won the 1975 League Cup with the Villans before he went on to become manager to then replicate that feat.
As manager, he oversaw Villa’s last major honour win as the Villans beat Leeds United 3-0 in 1996 in the main achievement of his 164 games in charge.
Paul McGrath
Another man whose legend is summed up by the fact that his chant is still sung before every single home game the Villans play.
The Republic of Ireland international is simply known as “God” in B6, and endearment doesn’t get much better than this as an iconic figure at a football club.
His qualities were also recognised nationally in 1993, as the PFA handed the Irishman their Player of the Year award as Villa finished second in the Premier League.
McGrath also lifted a League Cup title in claret and blue, securing a 3-1 win against his former side, Manchester United, to do so.
Ian Taylor
In terms of players who lived the dream in terms of playing for Aston Villa, there aren’t many better stories than that of Taylor.
The midfielder became an instant cult hero and then went on to make over 230 appearances as a regular contributor in B6.
He has since gone on to become an ambassador for the club, regularly seen on European away days, summing up exactly what makes this club so great.
Juan Pablo Angel
Villa fans growing up in the early 2000s wanted to be Angel, he was simply iconic both as a cult hero and a B6 legend.
Having signed for a club record fee at the time, his best season came as he scored 23 goals in the 2003/04 season in claret and blue.
The Colombian had the technical ability, flair and trickery of a South American icon, while also having the end product to make him widely remembered in the Midlands.
Olof Mellberg
The Sweden international proved his class from the minute he came in through the doors at Bodymoor Heath from Racing Santander in 2001.
Alongside Martin Laursen, Villa’s defence was solid, with both holding the captaincy in claret and blue across their spells.
Mellberg’s quality was huge, but he also became a cult hero due to his understanding of exactly what it meant to play for Aston Villa.
His association with the club on a perfect note as he handed out Villa shirts at West Ham’s Upton Park with printing, reading: “Mellberg thanks for your support”
Ashley Young
Although he wasn’t particularly popular when he left Villa Park for Manchester United, his return to the Midlands has helped change the opinion of the Englishman.
The winger was simply superb in his first Villa spell, becoming one of the most dangerous wide men in the entire Premier League under Martin O’Neill.
He returned 10 years later as a full-back and once again captured the imagination, showing his true love and desire for the Villans.
It was bitterly disappointing to see him leave, but there is no doubt that Young is a legend at Villa Park, showcased by the “Forever Young” banner on the Holte End.
Christian Benteke
In the years leading up to relegation in 2016, there was very little positivity to speak of, but the Belgium international was always a beacon of light.
There is no getting away from his quality in front of goal, at times single-handedly pulling Villa through the mire and to safety, narrowly.
It was little surprise when he left for Liverpool that a drop to the Championship followed, but Benteke can’t be blamed for that.
He continues to speak highly of his time in B6 and will always be appreciated for his efforts in a poor Villa team, representing the best of a bad situation from that era.
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