It seems strange that a whole generation of Liverpool fans have grown up knowing Alan Hansen as a television pundit rather than as the man who marshalled their defence for over a decade.

Likewise, any Englishman below their mid-twenties think of crisp adverts, bad puns and jokes about big ears when they think of Gary Lineker, a man who plundered 48 goals for his country.

And there are people, even born and bred Aston Villa fans, who only know Andy Gray as the instantly...

"We should want the kids to know when they come here that Gordon Cowans was really a fantastic player once and not just the baldy-headed old coot that he is now," said Martin O'Neill as the finishing touches were put to the club's new training ground.

"We should have some pictures of the European Cup winners here. It should be celebrated."

The alliance between pride in a glorious past and hope for an equally glorious future is embodied in one man. League champion,...

Every generation, every crowd and every single Aston Villa fan has their own heroes. How could they not, after 133 often glorious years? This is the club who have provided more England internationals than any other. This is the club who founded the Football League.

And this is the club whose captain, in 1982, lifted the biggest prize in club football - and became the confusing factor in a trivia question.

It's not surprising that, when people are asked to name the three...