Something of a late-bloomer hanging around

A free-scoring centre-forward during his playing career, Saunders had spells as manager of Yeovil Town, Oxford United, Norwich City and Manchester City before you take at Aston Villa - then a second division side - in 1974.

In the first season, he guided Villa to promotion as well as won the League Cup. He won the League Cup again in 1977, as well as in 1981, led Villa towards the League title for the first time in 71 years.

In January 1982, with Villa in the quarter-final of the European Cup, Saunders surprisingly resigned due to a contractual dispute. His assistant Tony Barton took control of, and guided the club to European Cup glory 4 months later.

Subsequent moves to rivals Birmingham City, and West Bromwich Albion don't sully his status being an Aston Villa legend

 Denis Mortimer
Position: Midfielder
Aston Villa Career: 1975-1985
Appearances: 405
Goals: 36

Villa's European Cup winning captain began magista obra pas cher his career at Coventry City, where he made over 200 appearances before moving to Villa Park in 1975. He made 403 appearances in Villa colours, scoring 39 goals and winning the League title, League Cup and, the crowning moment of his Villa career, the European Cup in 1982.

After leaving Aston Villa, Mortimer gone to live in Brighton and then blotted his copybook somewhat by joining Birmingham City. Still, he remains an Aston Villa legend and something from the club's greatest ever captains.

 Gordon Cowans
Position: Midfielder
Aston Villa Career: 1976-1985; 1988-1991; 1993-1994
Appearances: 528
Goals: 59

An item of Aston Villa's youth system Gordon Cowans joined the club being an apprentice in 1974, and was part of a successful team that won the FA Youth Cup. He signed like a professional in 1976 and made his first team debut as a 17-year-old.

Cowans had three spells with Villa broken by stints with Bari and Blackburn Rovers. Throughout his career using the club he won the very first Division title, the ecu Cup, European Super Cup, and the League Cup.

After leaving the club for that final crampon hypervenom time in 1994 he played for Derby, Wolves, Sheffield United, Bradford City, Stockport County and Burnley before retiring in 1997.

 Peter Withe
Position: Forward
Aston Villa Career: 1980-1985
Appearances: 182
Goals: 90

Something of a late-bloomer hanging around, Withe had spells in Nigeria and the US before signing for Nottingham Forest in 1976, where he won the League title. Then he spent two seasons at Newcastle United, and in 1980 gone to live in Aston Villa for a club record ?500,000.

It had been to prove an inspired signing as Withe and Gary Shaw delivered the goals that drove Villa to the League title in 1981.

Overall Withe scored 74 goals chaussure de foot mercurial in 182 appearances for Villa, but his status being an Aston Villa legend is secure thanks to one strike - the winner in the 1982 European Cup final against Bayern Munich.