Kosta Nedelković became the 1,000th player to feature for Aston Villa in a competitive first-team fixture when he debuted this season.
The milestone fittingly arrived in the first game of the club’s 150th anniversary season, adding the young Serbian to the club’s Legacy Numbers list.
Part of the anniversary celebrations, the Aston Villa Legacy Numbers initiative celebrates every single player who has represented the club competitively.
Our list begins with the line-up from Villa’s first official match in 1879, an FA Cup tie against Stafford Road of Wolverhampton. Every player has been assigned his own unique number, denoting his place in the club’s long and illustrious history. View the full list here.
Delving further into the stories of some of our former players, we’ll be regularly shining a light on five ex-Villans as we move towards the end of the current campaign, starting with this quality quintet…
589: John Gregory
There were three debutants in the Villa team that started the 1977-78 season with a 2-1 win away to Queens Park Rangers. Jimmy Rimmer and Ken McNaught went on to be legends at home and abroad, but what became of the third?
John Gregory is now best remembered for his four-year spell as Villa manager, but for two seasons as a player he redefined the word versatile.
Gregory, signed for £40,000 from Northampton Town, was forced by Villa’s chronic injury problems in 1977-78 and 1978-79 to occupy a bewildering variety of roles and wear 11 different shirt numbers.
In the end his adaptability counted against him. “I don’t think Ron Saunders could work out what his best position was,” said his sometime colleague in midfield Dennis Mortimer.
Span: 1977-78 — 1978-79. Appearances: 76. Goals: 11
642: Mark Burke
Every club’s history is littered with young players of huge potential who did not, in racing parlance, “train on”.
Mark Burke’s midfield talents had the club’s scouts salivating, and his promise was confirmed in nine appearances for England Schoolboys and three for the international youth team.
He was given his debut by Billy McNeill towards the end of the 1986-87 relegation season and performed well against champions-elect Everton. “Despite the importance of the occasion, Burke showed no sign of nerves, displaying some neat touches and a willingness to take on defenders,” reported Rob Bishop in the Sports Argus.
Unfortunately, that initial first-team outing proved the high point of Burke’s career at Villa Park.
Span: 1986-87 — 1987-88. Appearances: 8. Goals: 0
532: Brian Tiler
When Brian Tiler ran out at the head of the Villa team for the Boxing Day match against Cardiff City in 1968, he was leading the club into a new era.
Tiler had arrived from Rotherham United four days earlier and was instantly appointed captain by new manager Tommy Docherty.
He was the first signing since the boardroom revolution that saw Doug Ellis arrive as chairman and, although this was the second game since the takeover, it was the first time the fans returned in numbers to back the new board.
More than 41,000 roared Villa on to a 2-0 victory, completed by Tiler’s fine 70th-minute header. “What a thrill to be in such a sizzling atmosphere,” he said afterwards.
He’s pictured in the photo above in the traps on the greyhound track at Wembley Stadium during the team’s tour of the ground prior to the League Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur in 1971. Seen from left to right are Bruce Rioch, Keith Bradley, Tiler and Brian Godfrey.
Span: 1968-69 — 1972-73. Appearances: 127. Goals: 4
290: Len Capewell
There are hot streaks and then there is the staggering purple patch enjoyed by Len Capewell in the 1925-26 season.
The Bordesley Green-born centre-forward grabbed five goals in the 10-0 opening-day rout of Burnley and then, after two blanks, scored in eight consecutive league games – a club record that may now stand forever.
Capewell, who had a peculiar habit of moistening his hands when he received the ball, also scored six times on the way to Villa’s first Wembley appearance in 1924. He almost missed the match when the taxi in which he was travelling with Tommy Jackson and Tommy Mort got stuck in traffic.
Span: 1921-22 — 1928-29. Appearances: 157. Goals: 100
704: Franz Carr
Long before EVs became a regular sight on our roads, Villa had their own electric Carr.
Franz Carr was a winger with a blistering turn of pace who made his name with a fine Nottingham Forest team in the late 1980s.
By the time he arrived at Villa Park, however, he was trying to resurrect a career that had become stuck in reverse gear.
It did not work out, but his brief stay contained one memorable moment. Back on his old stomping ground, he scored the only goal in an FA Cup quarter-final win over Forest. “I was beginning to wonder if I had a future at the club,” he admitted. His goal earned Villa a first appearance in the last four of the FA Cup since 1960.
Span: 1994-95 — 1995-96. Appearances: 4. Goals: 1
