Aston Villa's Best-ever Team - Version 2

I have created a version 2 as I decided a true "best all-time" Villa team should be based on their playing contribution to the club and to football - not whether one was necessarily a better player than another.

I have applied these criteria (in this order):

1. A minimum of 9 years' first-team service with Villa.
2.  More than 300 first-team Villa appearances in competitive matches, unless the player was a captain for more than 3 years. 
3.  Must have played for their country while playing for the Villa. 
4. Preference to an individual that has played in a trophy-winning Villa team.

So, here we are with sadly, Archie Hunter, Charlie Aitken and Johnny Dixon totally omitted as they were not capped!

Sam Hardy (gk, 1912-1921)

Howard Spencer (1894-1907)

Jimmy Crabtree (1895-1904)

Allan Evans (1977-1989)

James Cowan (1889-1902)

Frank Moss, snr. (1914-1927)

Charlie Wallace (1907-1921)

John Devey (1891-1902)

Harry Hampton (1904-1920)

Billy Walker (1920-1933)

Joe Bache (1901-1915)

Subs (from);

Billy George (gk, 1897-1912)

Nigel Spink (gk, 1977-1996)

Tommy Smart (1920-1934)

Tommy Mort (1922-1935)

George Cummings (1935-1949)

Steve Staunton (1991-2003, 2 periods)
Jimmy Gibson (1927-1936)
Alex Massie (1935-1945)

Vic Crowe (1954-1964)

Gareth Barry (1998-2009)

Charlie Athersmith (1891-1901)

Dicky York (1919-1930)
Frank Broome (1934-1946)

Billy Garratty (1897-1908)
Ronnie Starling (1937-1948)

Gordon Cowans (1976-1994, 3 periods)

Dennis Hodgetts (1886-1896)

Eric Houghton (1929-1946)

Arthur Dorrell (1919-1930)
Tony Daley (1985-1994)

Gabby Agbonlahor (2006-2018)

UTV!