Aston Villa is among the most decorated clubs in English soccer history. It was a pioneer of the Football League. Villa proudly boasts it’s the biggest club in the Midlands, which has had glory eras. Although it has had less impact during the Premier League era, Emery’s reign has sparked a revival. These are six of the best Aston Villa players in the club’s history.
Jack Grealish
Grealish was a versatile Villa player who played as a left winger, attacking midfielder, or central playmaker. He is among the best Aston Villa players in history because of his elite ball retention, press resistance, and playmaking vision. Grealish was a creative heartbeat at the team because he created space and chances for other players.
He was a key player for Aston Villa during a period when the Lions played in the Championship. With the captain’s armband, Grealish orchestrated a 10-match winning streak that propelled them to promotion. His technical brilliance was invaluable for re-establishing Villa in the Premier League. Villa sold Grealish to Manchester City for a £100 million fee.
Dwight Yorke
Yorke rose to prominence at the club before he joined Manchester United. He was one of the best Aston Villa players because of his clinical finishing, fluid link-up play, and sublime ball control. York was also a player who could play as a striker or support forward, with a knack for unlocking defences with neat one-touch passing.
Aston Villa had some of their best Premier League seasons when York led the line. He scored 98 goals for them. York scored one of the goals in Villa’s 3-0 win against Leeds in the League Cup final winning silverware for the Lions.
Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins was among the key players behind Villa’s revival under Emery. His clinical finishing, elite movement, and dual goal/assist threat made Watkins one of the best Aston Villa players in history. Watkins was a player with high-speed execution who became a big hero at Villa Park.
The prolific Watkins scored 105 goals for Aston Villa. He scored 19 goals in one season to clinch them a Champions League qualification. Watkins scored 10+ goals across four seasons to cement his legend at Villa Park.
Emiliano Martínez
Martínez was the best goalkeeper in Villa’s history because of his elite aerial dominance, clean catching, and cross claiming. He was tactically adaptable as a sweeper-keeper who controlled space behind defenses. With his distribution and passing, Martínez was a launchpad for Villa’s deep-build play.
Martínez had an almost immediate impact at Aston Villa. His 15 clean sheets during his first season equalled Villa’s club record. This keeper also made crucial saves during their European campaigns to secure Europa League glory for the Lions.
Gordon Cowans
Cowans was one of the best Aston Villa players, one of the most technically gifted midfielders in English soccer history. He was blessed with an extraordinary passing range and accuracy. Cowans also contributed long-range goals with his clean, clinical ball striking.
Cowans was the creative midfield engine during Aston Villa’s golden era in the early 1980s. He won the English First Division title and the European Cup while playing for the Lions. He also scored 49 goals for Villa, among which was a spectacular long-range strike against Juventus in the European Cup quarter-finals.
Paul McGrath
McGrath was one of Villa’s best defenders because of his extraordinary game reading and ball composure. He was also one of the most graceful, ball-playing defenders to grace the English game. McGrath calmly launched attacks from his own half and consistently stifled the best attacking players for club and country.
He churned out monumental defensive performances for Aston Villa during a more productive period for the club. Villa won the League Cup twice with McGrath in defence. McGrath also received a PFA Players’ Player of the Year accolade while playing for the team.
End Of My Best Aston Villa Players Rant
The best Aston Villa players above were world-class for the Lions. Such players have earned their places in the Lions’ hall of fame with defensive heroism, goal-scoring prowess, midfield flair, and goalkeeping heroics. The Lions roared when they starred for them.
