Ollie Watkins

[WarszaVillan]

Modern players are different to the old days. Ask Pongo or even Brian Little to run as much as Watkins does and you'd get a right earful.

As for the others, Hitchens by all accounts was the man, Hateley suffered by being his eventual replacement. Andy Gray was ludicrously brave but perhaps a bit one-dimensional. Withe was a great all-rounder with a lot more skill than he was credited with. Gary Shaw was a goalpoacher whereas Little was more of an old-fashioned inside-forward who would have done well in a front three now.

Atkinson had it all except commitment. Saunders ran around a lot but didn't score enough. Percy summed up Darren Bent by saying him in the team was like being a goal up and a player short. Benteke put in some of the best all-round centre-forward performances I've ever seen.

Shaw was more than a goal poacher though. He could link up play, shield the ball, turn, etc beautifully. Similar in some ways to a player like Dalglish, whilst also being able to finish like Lineker. He could have developed into some player. The crowd used to give him some stick though at times.

[Percy McCarthy]

There’s definitely one of the best, with a case to be made that he was THE best, who’s 90th birthday is being discussed elsewhere on this forum.

[KevinGage]

Modern players are different to the old days. Ask Pongo or even Brian Little to run as much as Watkins does and you'd get a right earful.

As for the others, Hitchens by all accounts was the man, Hateley suffered by being his eventual replacement. Andy Gray was ludicrously brave but perhaps a bit one-dimensional. Withe was a great all-rounder with a lot more skill than he was credited with. Gary Shaw was a goalpoacher whereas Little was more of an old-fashioned inside-forward who would have done well in a front three now.

Atkinson had it all except commitment. Saunders ran around a lot but didn't score enough. Percy summed up Darren Bent by saying him in the team was like being a goal up and a player short. Benteke put in some of the best all-round centre-forward performances I've ever seen.

Shaw was more than a goal poacher though. He could link up play, shield the ball, turn, etc beautifully. Similar in some ways to a player like Dalglish, whilst also being able to finish like Lineker. He could have developed into some player. The crowd used to give him some stick though at times.

I can really only recall the mid>late 80s Shaw who was trying to get his career going again, but from the footage I've seen and people I spoke to Shaw looked like a graceful, stylish footballer in his pomp. It's no wonder the likes of Juventus were sniffing around.

Whereas Linekar was just a poacher/ goal hanger.

[Footy-Vill]

Modern players are different to the old days. Ask Pongo or even Brian Little to run as much as Watkins does and you'd get a right earful.

As for the others, Hitchens by all accounts was the man, Hateley suffered by being his eventual replacement. Andy Gray was ludicrously brave but perhaps a bit one-dimensional. Withe was a great all-rounder with a lot more skill than he was credited with. Gary Shaw was a goalpoacher whereas Little was more of an old-fashioned inside-forward who would have done well in a front three now.

Atkinson had it all except commitment. Saunders ran around a lot but didn't score enough. Percy summed up Darren Bent by saying him in the team was like being a goal up and a player short. Benteke put in some of the best all-round centre-forward performances I've ever seen.

Interesting information and insights.
On Gerry Hitchens I see he top scored with 29 and found 'Hitchens’ time with Villa is still remembered fondly by those lucky enough to have seen him play. Four seasons would return a yield of 96 goals, the highlight being a five-goal haul in an 11-1 victory over Charlton in 1959'

Hately top scored three seasons in a row: so that's pretty impressive!
I was thinking along the lines of rating Tony Hately highly in Club history purely due to the consistency of 3 seasons as the leading scorer 17,20 and 21 league goals.

[SteveN]

Hitchens was tremendous for us and had a very decent career in Italy when he left us.   

A mention for Keith Leonard, his career was shortened by injury but during his time with us put in some very impressive performances.  A good foil for Brian Little.

[nigel]

Emery obviously realises his strengths and we are set out to maximise them. Having Diaby next to him gives defenders somebody else to worry about. It's potentially a fantastic partnership. Andy Gray was never a technical player but alongside Brian Little scored for fun because we played to his strengths. First time round Gray scored 54 goals in 113 appearances whilst Sir Brian got 40 during the same period. Together they were the best Villa partnership of my Villa days. In Watkins and Diaby were have the potential to have the third best - after Gray/Little and Withe/Shaw.

Totally.

This is interesting reading
Withe must have offered assists as well as goals as Shaw was a top scorer for a season or two.

Let’s not forget that the Gray/Little partnership was augmented by John Deehan. He was very much an integral part of that front line

[Mellin]

If we're talking support strikers, we need to talk Savo as he's often overlooked. Top four in 1996, not been done since with some far more heralded players. 23 goal contributions too, which no one gave a fuck about back then. Him and Yorke were a good match.

[nick harper]

Modern players are different to the old days. Ask Pongo or even Brian Little to run as much as Watkins does and you'd get a right earful.

As for the others, Hitchens by all accounts was the man, Hateley suffered by being his eventual replacement. Andy Gray was ludicrously brave but perhaps a bit one-dimensional. Withe was a great all-rounder with a lot more skill than he was credited with. Gary Shaw was a goalpoacher whereas Little was more of an old-fashioned inside-forward who would have done well in a front three now.

Atkinson had it all except commitment. Saunders ran around a lot but didn't score enough. Percy summed up Darren Bent by saying him in the team was like being a goal up and a player short. Benteke put in some of the best all-round centre-forward performances I've ever seen.

Shaw was more than a goal poacher though. He could link up play, shield the ball, turn, etc beautifully. Similar in some ways to a player like Dalglish, whilst also being able to finish like Lineker. He could have developed into some player. The crowd used to give him some stick though at times.

You’re right, he was. It’s often forgotten he was in the first team at 17 and winning the league at 20. He did have dips but not unexpected given his age. What I would say is he had an exceptional first touch, one of the best I’ve seen. The turn and pass to Tony Morley for his goal of the season still makes me emotional.

[Footy-Vill]

On TNT Sports, Joe Cole compared Watkins and Kane to England's back up World cup winner number two, Geoff Hurst to Jimmy Greaves
Glenn Hoodle doesn't appear to think Watkins will go to the Euros and favours Toney.

Hoddle doesn't seem to get it because he says Watkins is 26! And needed to be corrected.
That being said, Cole is also incorrect in claiming that if Watkins wins the Golden Boot and continues to perform at this level, that he go to a major club.

I wish the media would appreciate the power of our football club; it's so frustrating sometimes but even more so now as at top 4 team the acknowledgement is for somewhat being held back.

Yes, Grealish, Benteke, Barry, Milner, and Delph departed for higher placed clubs but we are now keeping our best players because we are a top competing club!

Come on Watkins !
Up the Villa!

[AV84]

I could see Watkins going to Arsenal at the end of next season if we don't continue to progress, and they go another season without signing a proper striker. If we can get that CL spot this season, and kick on a bit more next season, there's nothing any of those clubs can offer him at the moment that we're not competing for too.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'm dubious that anyone that would want Ollie could afford him in the current climate. And that's if we even want to sell and he wants to leave.

[AV84]

I'm dubious that anyone that would want Ollie could afford him in the current climate. And that's if we even want to sell and he wants to leave.

Yeah, there's a lot of ifs involved in any scenario where he leaves us, but as I said, we wrap up that CL spot and at least for this summer there's not much incentive for any of our star players to move elsewhere.

[Dave]

I'm dubious that anyone that would want Ollie could afford him in the current climate. And that's if we even want to sell and he wants to leave.

My one (minor) concern is that he's probably the one player that turns this Arsenal team into title winners, and if they thought the same, they could probably rustle up the £120m that he's probably worth in the current market.

Beyond them, there's nowhere else he's going.

[Footy-Vill]

Felt for Watkins as he had a great opportunity when Cash fed him but he blazed over from inside the box.
I think it's on his mind the milestone of 20 goals and it impacted that finish.

[Steve67]

I'm dubious that anyone that would want Ollie could afford him in the current climate. And that's if we even want to sell and he wants to leave.

My one (minor) concern is that he's probably the one player that turns this Arsenal team into title winners, and if they thought the same, they could probably rustle up the £120m that he's probably worth in the current market.

Beyond them, there's nowhere else he's going.

If they offered that sort of money, I think we'd take it.