The 41 Best Aston Villa Players of All Time

From European Cup heroes to modern Premier League stars, this list spans the full history of one of England's most storied clubs. Who is Villa's greatest?

1. 1
   Gordon Cowans

   Elegant midfielder who made over 400 appearances across three spells, winning the First Division title and European Cup with Villa.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Billy Walker

   Villa's all-time record goalscorer with 244 goals in 531 games from 1919 to 1934, and an FA Cup winner in his very first season.
   864pts
3. 3
   Steve Staunton

   Irish left-back who won the 1994 and 1996 League Cups across two spells at Villa, playing more than 350 games for the club.
   612pts
4. 4
   Brian Little

   Skilful attacking midfielder from the 1970s who later managed Villa to League Cup glory, a legend on and off the pitch.
   573pts
5. 5
   John McGinn

   Scottish midfielder and captain whose drive powered the 2019 promotion and the run to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2025.
   573pts
6. 6
   Jack Grealish

   Villa's homegrown talisman who captained the club back to the Premier League and starred in their European resurgence before joining City.
   529pts
7. 7
   Juan Pablo Ángel

   Colombian striker who scored 62 goals in six seasons from 2001 to 2007, finishing 2003-04 as Villa's top scorer with 23.
   529pts
8. 8
   Dennis Mortimer

   Midfield captain who lifted the 1981 First Division trophy and led Villa to their 1982 European Cup triumph.
   529pts
9. 9
   Pongo Waring

   Flamboyant centre-forward who scored a club-record 49 league goals in 1930-31 and 167 goals in 225 games for Villa.
   529pts
10. 10
    James Milner

    Energetic midfielder named 2010 PFA Young Player of the Year at Villa after starring in the run to that season's League Cup final.
    480pts
11. 11
    Emiliano Martínez

    World Cup-winning goalkeeper who became one of the world's best shot-stoppers during Villa's rise back to European competition.
    480pts
12. 12
    Gareth Barry

    Academy product who made more than 400 appearances from 1998 to 2009 and captained the club before joining Manchester City.
    423pts
13. 13
    Paul McGrath

    Iconic Irish defender widely regarded as Villa's greatest-ever player, winning PFA Player of the Year in 1993 despite severe knee problems.
    423pts
14. 14
    Tyrone Mings

    Centre-back who arrived in 2019 to help win promotion, became an England international and a defensive leader of Villa's European revival.
    423pts
15. 15
    Tony Morley

    Winger who won the 1981 title, scored the BBC Goal of the Season against Everton and crossed for Peter Withe's 1982 European Cup final winner.
    423pts
16. 16
    Allan Evans

    Scottish centre-back who made over 450 appearances from 1977 to 1989, forming the spine of the 1981 title and 1982 European Cup sides.
    423pts
17. 17
    Gabriel Agbonlahor

    Villa's all-time top scorer in the Premier League era, a pacey local striker who spent his entire career at the club.
    423pts
18. 18
    Stiliyan Petrov

    Bulgarian midfielder and beloved club captain who made over 250 appearances and became an ambassador after battling leukemia.
    358pts
19. 19
    Harry Hampton

    The 'Wellington Whirlwind' who scored 242 goals for Villa from 1904 to 1920, including both goals in the 1905 FA Cup final, and won the 1910 title.
    358pts
20. 20
    Dwight Yorke

    Trinidad-born forward who scored 97 goals in 284 appearances for Villa before his big-money move to Manchester United in 1998.
    358pts
21. 21
    Ugo Ehiogu

    Centre-back who spent nine years at Villa from 1991 to 2000, winning the 1996 League Cup and reaching the 2000 FA Cup final.
    358pts
22. 22
    Joe Bache

    Inside-forward who scored 184 goals for Villa between 1900 and 1915, winning the 1905 and 1913 FA Cups and the 1910 league title.
    358pts
23. 23
    David Platt

    Attacking midfielder who scored 68 goals from 1988 to 1991 and was voted 1990 PFA Player of the Year as Villa finished First Division runners-up.
    358pts
24. 24
    Peter Withe

    The striker who scored the winning goal in Villa's 1982 European Cup final victory over Bayern Munich, the club's greatest triumph.
    358pts
25. 25
    Charlie Aitken

    Scottish left-back who made a record 660 appearances for Villa over 17 seasons, the most in the club's history.
    358pts
26. 26
    Christian Benteke

    Belgian powerhouse striker who was virtually unstoppable in his peak years at Villa, netting 49 goals in 101 appearances from 2012 to 2015.
    282pts
27. 27
    Gary Shaw

    Local striker who won the 1981 PFA Young Player of the Year and led the line in the 1981 title and 1982 European Cup triumphs.
    282pts
28. 28
    Peter McParland

    Northern Irish winger who scored both goals in the 1957 FA Cup final win over Manchester United and struck again in the 1961 League Cup final.
    282pts
29. 29
    Morgan Rogers

    Attacking midfielder signed from Middlesbrough in 2024 who became an England international and a key creator in Villa's Champions League season.
    282pts
30. 30
    Howard Spencer

    Elegant full-back nicknamed 'Gentleman Howard', who won four league titles and three FA Cups with Villa between 1894 and 1907.
    282pts
31. 31
    Dean Saunders

    Welsh striker who scored twice in the 1994 League Cup final win over Manchester United, the highlight of his three seasons at Villa.
    282pts
32. 32
    Olof Mellberg

    Swedish defender who captained Villa for five seasons in the 2000s and became one of the Premier League's most consistent centre-backs.
    282pts
33. 33
    Gareth Southgate

    Composed defender who won the 1996 League Cup and captained Villa in the 2000 FA Cup final during six seasons from 1995 to 2001.
    282pts
34. 34
    Ken McNaught

    Commanding centre-half who partnered Allan Evans at the heart of the 1981 league title and 1982 European Cup-winning defence.
    282pts
35. 35
    Ollie Watkins

    Prolific striker who evolved into an England international and European-level performer, scoring crucial goals in Villa's UEFA run.
    192pts
36. 36
    John Devey

    Captain of Villa's great 1890s side, leading the club to five league titles and two FA Cups, including the 1897 league and cup double.
    192pts
37. 37
    John Carew

    Norwegian target man who scored 48 goals from 2007 to 2011 and led the line during Martin O'Neill's top-six seasons.
    192pts
38. 38
    Andy Gray

    Scottish striker who in 1977 became the first player to win both PFA Player and Young Player of the Year, scoring 29 goals that season.
    192pts
39. 39
    Nigel Spink

    Came off the bench early in the 1982 European Cup final in only his second senior game, kept a clean sheet and stayed in goal for 14 more years.
    0pts
40. 40
    Mark Bosnich

    Australian goalkeeper who saved three penalties in the 1994 League Cup semi-final shoot-out against Tranmere and won two League Cups with Villa.
    0pts
41. 41
    Ashley Young

    Speedy winger who won the 2009 PFA Young Player of the Year at Villa, then returned in 2021 for a second spell after his Manchester United years.
    0pts

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