• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Listing of Players

  • Thread starter Thread starter foolingreens
  • Start date Start date
F

foolingreens

Guest
I'm sure many families have relatives that were supposed to have played soccer for Aston Villa.
My great something uncle was supposed to have played. Is there a site that lists former players. His name was Leonard Hamer and he would have played late 1800's early 1900's.
Thanks
Andy Brockway
 
Pretty sure. He would have been born in the 1870's or 80's so would have played in the 90's or early 1900's.
Maybe its just another family myth or loose end?
Andy
 
I've got a cartoon book upstairs somewhere of The Villa. It goes back from when they first began, If I can remember it list all the players, I am out tomorrow but when I get back I will go through it for you.
 
Andy...I have the names of every player that played for Aston Villa's first team...and I am sorry to say that Leonard Hamer is not one of them...the list starts at 1874 ends 1988....But that doesn't mean that Leonard did not play for the Villa....he could have played in the 2nd team,3rd team etc, there is little to no chance of every finding out for sure, I think that the first "programme the Villa Record" started on the 1st Sept 1906...,
In Birmingham Central Library is the full set of the Villa News and Record, plus a few...one or two scrapbooks of that era....it would take up a few hours searching through these books to find out if Leonard is mentioned...In my opinion if you have got time to spare it would be worth looking, but has you live a few thousend miles away, it would cost a small fortune to get someone to look for you, unless another member is doing some research on the Villa and might take a look for you, but to my knowlege no one is.....sorry I couldn't give you better news on this one
 
Oh Well

Thanks for taking the time to look I really appreciate it.
I think I've got 30-40 years left so at some time I'll get over there again and do the search.
Til then its just another family legend
Andy
 
If it happened Andy you will know before then, theres not much these Forum folks can't sort given time.
I had the next best thing in Football I worked for 2 Football League Clubs in Wales and it opened doors:)
 
Andy, I did laugh (in a good way) at your comment that many Birmingham families will claim a relative who played for Villa.

Throughout my childhood, my grandfather tried and tried to persuade me (the only one in my family born out of Birmingham) to support a Midlands team - even Wolves!

He finally cracked it when he told me my second cousin Alan Deakin played for Villa!

He always followed up any conversation about Deakin with a vitriolic tirrade against Dennis Law, because Law allegedly broke Deakin's leg and finished his top flight career (he ended up at Walsall).

I did try, but I couldn't find Len Hamer, either, so far ...
 
Alan Deakin, Villa.

PeterV said:
He finally cracked it when he told me my second cousin Alan Deakin played for Villa!
Click to expand...

If I remember rightly I was at school, Dennis Road, with Alan Deakin (and some other footballer, 'Hudson'. I've lived abroad most of my life and often wonder if he (they) made it in football? I was a professional racing cyclist in the 60's. Would love to hear more about them.

Graham Webb.

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Gener...6&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=14822&EXPAND=15
 
PeterV.....

Denis Law did not break Deakins leg, futher more Alan Deakin played for the Villa's first team for a few seasons after that event....I saw Alan Deakin play many times and all I can say about him was that he was a below average 1st division player.
 
players

my grand father was a grounds man at the Baggies his niece married Teddy Sandford three uncles
played
for the baggies Harry Kinsell Ray Kinsell and Abe Jones and William Jones (Bullet Head Jones) played for Blues and my nephew John Houghton played for the Villa (youth team)
 
Last edited:
When I was tracing my Grand dads football career (David John Mellon) see previous postings I came across this site, which also confirmed who he played for and when.

Once you find them you do have to pay to view the information.

I have done a search for your relative but came up with nothing.

https://allfootballers.com/screen11.php

Fay

 
So, JKC - Alan Deakin was below average, eh? Just my luck.

I think that may well explain where I inherited my woeful footballing talents!

Still, at least he got to play for a famous team.
 
Alan R. Deakin Born Balsall Heath 1941

Was a very good player 269/1 apps.

6 games for England under 23s League Cup winers & Losers Medals Skippered Villa 1966/67

So cheer up Peter so its not all bad news.

That was the time when I was watching Villa & I never noticed him much but some people say they are the better players.:)
 
Re: players

John Houghton said:
my grand father was a grounds man at the Baggies his niece married Teddy Sandford three uncles
played
for the baggies Harry Kinsell Ray Kinsell and Abe Jones and William Jones (Bullet Head Jones) played for Blues and my nephew John Houghton played for the Villa (youth team)
Click to expand...
Hello... I am new member of this forum, starting to research my family history, my father & grandfather, both Edward Jones' were related to Teddy Sandford. It would be interesting to swap any info as I am quite short of surviving family members. I read with interest your article about Handsworth as my mother also grew up in Rookery Road before they were bombed out.
 
Although PeterV put his post on over 6 years ago I think my info is relevent. I was at Villa Park the day Alan Deakin and Denis Law faced each other.As I remember the incident Deakin had played Law off the park and after another hefty but fair slide tackle Law turned to Deakin who was on the ground and gave him a full bloodied kick to the face.The roar from the Villa fans baying for blood was as loud as I have ever heard.As a left half(as the position was called in that bygone era) I had a lot of time for Deakin and disagree with JKC on the merits of the player.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top