---

A tribute to a very special footballer by Dave Woodhall.

Two men retired from football last week. One of them had won every honour the game had to offer and his departure was treated with the sort of fawning press coverage usually reserved for a royal wedding. The other was far more deserving.

The news that Stiliyan Petrov has announced his retirement can hardly be described as a surprise. Stan’s health must always come first and although he’s winning that a particular battle, the reality is that from the moment news of his illness was announced he was highly unlikely ever to play football again. His playing career is over and we can look back at a time when we had a player who upheld the standards we’ve come to expect from the Villa.

Stan was, of course, the personification of the Martin O’Neill era. He was the first player our new manager signed...

---

Following a discussion on Heroes & Villains, the fanzine received permission from the club to erect a plaque to t...