What does the term ‘cult hero’ mean to you? Perhaps it invokes memories of an honest tryer with wayward shooting but a loveable face. Or that surly bloke from the continent who only stayed for a season but scored the winner against your local rivals that one time. Or even that ridiculously talented bit-part player whose omission from the side you always resented the manager for. The characteristics that qualify a player as a cult hero are plentiful, diverse and often intangible; and, in recognition of these life-affirming souls, Sport.co.uk picks three Aston Villa players who once graced Villa Park yet live on in the hearts of those who follow Martin O’Neill’s men, wherever they may be…
At this juncture, we should point out that we omitted the likes of Paul McGrath, Gordon Cowans, Nigel Spink, Martin Laursen and Olof Mellberg from consideration on the grounds that they are genuine Aston Villa legends. (We feel that not enough of a distinction is made between ‘legend’ and ‘cult hero’ these days, a cause not helped by the rampant abuse and overuse of the word ‘legend’.)
Savo Milosevic – Arriving with a big old reputation as well as the then considerable price tag of £3.5m, the Serbian striker was nicknamed ‘Missalotevic’ after some initial dry spells in front of goal. Fantastic on his day but dreadful on someone else’s, Milosevic’s inconsistent form masked a respectable record of roughly a goal every three games.
That his hat-trick against local rivals Coventry City included one of the worst headed goals of all time is primo cult material and, while he left Villa in 1998, he signed off his career in suitably hot-and-cold fashion: playing for his country for the final time in 2008, he missed two penalties before scoring a brace and eventually getting substituted!
Milosevic also sported one of the funkiest bandanas seen on a sporting stage.
Greatest moment: Scoring an absolute screamer in Villa’s 3-0 win over Leeds United in the 1996 League Cup final at Wembley. Running 70 yards to celebrate with the Villa supporters after notching his first goal for the club against Blackburn Rovers would be there or thereabouts.
Alan Wright – At just 5’4, Wright is one of the shortest players in Premier League but what he lacked in stature he made up for with heart and determination. The left-back seemed at times to be everywhere at once and he was a regular consideration for supporters’ groups when they were naming their player of the season. Factor in the size 4 shoes and height-related difficulties with his Ferrari (he once strained his knee trying to reach the accelerator) and you’ve got yourself quite a cult there, my friend.
Wright spent 8 years at Villa Park, helping the club to their 1996 League Cup win, before gradually working his way down the divisions. Aged 38, he now plays for Fleetwood Town in the Conference North.
Greatest moment: The cross that panicked Leeds’ defenders into conceding Ian Taylor’s goal at Wembley. (It could be argued that Taylor is a cult hero himself but Sport.co.uk excluded him from consideration by dint of his Gary Speed-esque steadiness and efficiency – good stuff, but somehow not cultish. Couldn’t really say why.)
Benito Carbone – The Italian magician* only spent eight months at Villa Park but he made a sufficient impact for him to be called up for the club’s Masters side last summer (in which he rolled back the years with a dazzling performance alongside Wright, Taylor and Mark Draper.)
Carbone was hugely influential in Aston Villa’s run to the 2000 FA Cup final (which they lost 1-0 against Chelsea in the last final at the old Wembley), scoring a hat-trick against Leeds United in the 5th round and scoring the winner in the quarter-final against Everton at Goodison Park.
Now 38, he is still playing for Italian side Pavia.
Greatest moment: The absolute screamer he scored in aforementioned hat-trick against Leeds. Apparently, Villa cult heroes have a predilection for scoring screamers in cup matches against Leeds.
And finally, one for the future:
Carlos Cuellar – That beard, coupled with some outstanding performances this season – the Spanish defender surely cannot fail to cement cult status.
(* He wasn’t an actual magician, of course.)