birminghammail--2020-04-24--Aston Villa shirt numbers and the best players to wear them

It 's more than a number .
The digits Aston Villa stars and flops wear on the backs of their shirts can be as important to the players as they are to fans .
Over the years certain numbers conjure up special memories - take Stiliyan Petrov and that No.19 for example - while new signings often scramble to wear their lucky number .
But who have been the best and worst players to wear certain shirt numbers during the Premier League era ?
And yes , we know football was invented before then !
We 've flicked through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and painstakingly come up with our guide to the best No.1 , No.2 , No.39 and so on .
By 'best ' that could mean the actual best , the player who was most associated with that shirt it and , let 's face it , a bit of this writer 's nostalgic bias might creep in too .
My game , my rules !
In the 'Who else wore it ? '
section we 're looking at who was allocated these numbers over the course of the past three decades , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become more synonymous with other shirts , even if they were squad members or barely/ever played .
'Oh , oh the Aussie , Bozzie ' .
The Australian goalkeeper was originally given No.13 during his emergence , but it was n't long before he 'd ousted Villa legend Nigel Spink for the No.1 shirt .
There 's been some solid Villa goalkeepers during the Premier League era but none could match Bosnich 's agility and personality .
Who else wore it ?
Nigel Spink , David James , Peter Schmeichel , Peter Enckelman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shay Given , Brad Guzan , Tom Heaton .
Earl Barrett and Gary Charles can consider themselves very unlucky indeed not to have won this category as both were brilliant right-backs for Villa .
Delaney edges it for these reasons - sheer determination to rise from the lower leagues with Cardiff to the top flight with Villa , longevity in a claret and blue career that lasted eight years and the fact he loves the club so much he is back as an academy coach .
Who else wore it ?
Earl Barrett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luke Young , Alan Hutton , Nathan Baker , Thiago Ilori .
Stan Staunton edges out the likes of Alan Wright , Wilfred Bouma and Jlloyd Samuel here .
Staunton was a class act .
Defensively he was hard to beat , while that left-foot and his attacking instincts helped him smash in goals and create many more with overlapping runs and measured deliveries .
Who else wore it ?
Alan Wright , Jlloyd Samuel , Wilfred Bouma , Stephen Warnock , Joe Bennett , Neil Taylor .
This was a very difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure .
Olof edges it for longevity , dedication and reliability , while his well documented comments about the team down the road have added to his claret and blue legacy .
It says so much about the impact he made that he has edged out brilliant trophy-winning defenders Shaun Teale and Gareth Southgate , but I felt we needed some more recent entries .
Not as recent as Danny Drinkwater , mind !
Who else wore it ?
Shaun Teale , Gareth Southgate , Steve Sidwell , Ron Vlaar , Micah Richards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are all you need to know .
G. O. D. McGrath is arguably the best Villa player ever , let alone their best Premier League No.5 .
Which is why club greats Ugo Ehiogu and Martin Laursen have to settle for a place on the podium here .
Who else wore it ?
Ugo Ehiogu , Alpay Ozalan , Martin Laursen , Richard Dunne , Jores Okore , James Chester Barry is the clear winner here - which shows just how brilliant GazBaz was that he finishes above the captains who lifted Villa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Andy Townsend .
Barry is Villa 's record appearance maker in the Prem , playing 365 matches and - you know what ?
- I ca n't recall him having a bad game .
Who else wore it ?
Kevin Richardson , Carl Tiler , Andy Townsend , Steve Watson , George Boateng , Stewart Downing , James Collins , Ciaran Clark , Douglas Luiz .
Ooh , this is a tough one , but it 's got ta be Tayls , has n't it ?
The archetypal one of our own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midfielder , Coca Cola Cup winner , and all round top bloke .
Sorry Ray .
Sorry Lee , Sorry Ashley , Sorry Super John McGinn .
Who else wore it ?
Ray Houghton , Lee Hendrie , Ashley Young , Stephen Ireland , Leandro Bacuna , John McGinn .
This is super controversial because it probably means we 'll end up without Juan Pablo Angel winning any of these categories .
Sorry .
But Milner was so good , so busy with graft and craft and such a brilliant bloke and role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O'Neill that he has to be my first choice .
Yes , even eclipsing Mark Draper whose name and number adorned my old Reebok/AST Computer 1995-96 shirt .
Who else wore it ?
Garry Parker , John Fashanu , Mark Draper , Juan Pablo Angel , Gavin McCann , Luke Moore , Robert Pires , Jermaine Jenas , Karim El Ahmadi , Tom Cleverley , Idrissa Gueye , Henri Lansbury .
I 've ummed and aahed so much about this one .
Dion , Deano or Juan Pablo , Dion , Deano or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just edges it by virtue of outscoring the other two in the Premier League .
He found the net 48 times , compared to Angel 's 44 and Saunders ' 38 .
This was so tough .
I love Deano for his tongue-out concentration , relentless running , infectious enthusiasm , title-chasing , cup-winning days under Big Ron .
I love Angel for his confidence-growing , adversity-battling , classy finishing days under John Gregory , Graham Taylor , David O'Leary and Martin O'Neill .
I love Dion Dublin for his injury-recovering , powerful-playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You tell me , who clinches it for you ?
Who else wore it ?
Dean Saunders , Savo Milosevic , Stan Collymore , Juan Pablo Angel , Stephen Ireland , Darren Bent , Nicklas Helenius , Scott Sinclair , Wesley .
I 'm wincing at the reaction this one might provoke too , but I simply ca n't overlook him .
Just remembering that grin transports me back to a time when he was balancing the ball on his head pre-match , leave defenders on their backsides , dinking in penalties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Start spreading the news that he has edged out Dalian , Merse , Big John Carew and arguably most controversially of all , Jack Grealish .
Yep , I know Dwight kissed the Man United badge and ended up at Blues , but what memories .
What a player .
PS : Stay tuned , Super Jack 's moment will come .
Who else wore it ?
Dalian Atkinson , Tommy Johnson , Paul Merson , Darius Vassell , Milan Baros , John Carew , Charles N'Zogbia , Andi Weimann , Jack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over time he has become synonymous with that No.11 shirt , most often wheeling away celebrating a goal against Blues or breaching the defences of Arsenal , Liverpool , Chelsea , Manchester United - or ( perfect hat-trick time ) Manchester City .
His 74 goals make him the club 's leading scorer in the Prem era and it 's a record that will take some beating .
There 's some decent contenders here , to be fair , not least another Brummie pace ace , Tony Daley .
Who else wore it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stan Collymore , Alan Thompson , Steve Staunton , Nobby Solano , James Milner , Stiliyan Petrov , Marvelous Nakamba .
Torn between Julian Joachim and Thomas Hitzlsperger on this one .
'Der Hammer ' , as the German midfielder was known , was probably more popular with the Villa Park faithful , but Joachim 's impact is often underestimated .
He rattled in 45 goals at a time when Villa were a Premier League force .
Would love to have seen more from Steven Davis and Marc Albrighton in the famous claret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore it ?
Steve Froggatt , Nii Lamptey , Phil King , Peter Enckelman , Thomas Hitzlsperger , Steven Davis , Marc Albrighton , Joe Cole , In the battle of the sub goalies let 's give it to Spinksy .
When it comes to having goalkeeping back up on the bench there 's nobody better than Spink , as he proved on Villa 's greatest night .
Who else wore it ?
Mark Bosnich , Michael Oakes , Neil Cutler , Boaz Myhill , Stefan Postma , Stuart Taylor , Michael Bradley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wright , Wright .
A little goes a long way and the little left-back signed by Brian Little certainly went a long way towards fan favourite status at Villa .
Infamously suffered the weirdest of woes when he got repetitive stain injury from the clutch pedal in his Ferrari , but famously was a flying full-back who loved to bomb forward and whose diminutive stature was no barrier to committed , combative defending .
Who else wore it ?
Andy Townsend , Garry Parker , Dion Dublin , Neil Tarrant , David Ginola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nathan Gareth Barry and Gabby Agbonlahor have already featured and Lee Hendrie soon will .
Phil King has a shout for THAT penalty , but for me ultra reliable unsung hero Fernando Nelson edges this shirt number .
Who else wore it ?
Phil King , Lee Hendrie , Gareth Barry , Ulises De La Cruz , Gabby Agbonlahor , Curtis Davies , Ashley Westwood , Ezri Konsa .
UGO !
UGO !
The honour goes to the late , great Ugo Ehiogu , a giant of a man .
Villa have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ League era and long before then , too .
This towering hero is right up there with the best of them .
Who else wore it ?
Simon Grayson , Alpay Ozalan , Peter Crouch , Mathieu Berson , Wilfred Bouma , Zat Knight , Fabian Delph , Joleon Lescott .
Lee Hendrie got beaten to the No.7 accolade by Ian Taylor , but he deserves his moment here .
Played most of his claret and blue career wearing 17 and , while that nagging doubt persists that he could have been even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an England cap were impressive achievements .
Who else wore it ?
Neil Cox , Ian Taylor , Franz Carr , Peter Whittingham , Ashley Young , Moustapha Salifou , Jean Makoun , Chris Herd , Jordan Veretout , Trezeguet .
Carbone spent less than a season at Villa around the turn of the millennium after John Gregory signed him from Sheffield Wednesday , but he still became a fans ' favourite with nine goals in 30 appearances including that belting strike against Leeds United in the FA Cup at Villa Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yorke , Fabio Ferraresi , Benito Carbone , Steve Stone , Juan Pablo Angel , Carlton Cole , Aaron Hughes , Wayne Routledge , Emile Heskey , Yacouba Sylla , Kieran Richardson , Matt Targett .
Okay so emotion and sentimentality are factors in this choice , but make no mistake Petrov wins this on merit .
Even before the courageous leukaemia battle convinced us what a what this bloke was , Petrov was the ticking beat of a Villa midfield on the very brink of cracking the Champions League ceiling .
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who else wore it ?
Stefan Beinlich , Graham Fenton , Gareth Farrelly , David Hughes , Richard Walker , Bosko Balaban , Liam Ridgewell , Darren Bent , Jordan Ayew .
It simply has to be Christian Benteke , does n't it ?
With a Chris Smallinbg-eque shoulder barge , the big Belgian has barged any contenders out of the way .
Forty two goals for Villa , many of them belters , and opposition markers crying for their moms , gave Benteke Holte End darling status .
Why did it have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Villa Park faithful and the Crystal Palace striker himself ask regularly .
Who else wore it ?
Matthias Breitkreutz , Brian Small , Riccardo Scimeca , Najwan Ghrayib , Mustapha Hadji , Vaclav Drobny , Kevin Phillips , Chris Sutton , Nigel Reo-Coker , Robbie Keane , Adama Traore , Mbwana Samatta .
114 games , 12 goals and a shot that could terrify goalkeepers , the German midfielder did n't wear the 21 shirt for too many seasons , but whatever number he wore he is ability and attitude made him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore it ?
Dave Farrell , Paul Browne , Lee Collins , Darren Byfield , Jloyd Samuel , Steve Davis , Gary Cahill , Nicky Shorey , Ciaran Clark , Jordan Bowery , Alan Hutton , Anwar El Ghazi .
The Darius Vassell who first burst onto the scene at Villa around the turn of the millennium was like a whirling dervish , so quick , so busy and with a knack for scoring goals , too .
It remains a shame that he did n't go on to achieve real legendary status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 201 appearances is a return that will be remembered fondly by the Villa Park masses .
Who else wore it ?
Guy Whittingham , Gary Charles , Dave Farrell , Hassan Kachloul , Luke Moore , Scott Carson , Brad Guzan , Gary Gardner , Bjorn Engels .
The Brummie defender gets the nod here for me .
There might be shouts for Jordan Amavi , but the French full-back 's part in the relegation season takes the edge off someone who is clearly a very good player .
Small wins because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staunton as a loyal and dependable deputy .
Who else wore it ?
Neil Davis , David Hughes , Najwan Ghrayib , Stefan Moore , Patrick Berger , Habib Beye , Aly Cissokho , Jordan Amavi , Jota .
The Spaniard just fends off competition from the Pole , Dariusz Kubicki .
Both players were steady if not spectacular when called upon .
Cuellar 's versatility - arriving as a centre-half , but playing most of the time at right-back - the fact he gave away t-shirts to fans on his final farewell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Brindley Place once wins him this category !
Who else wore it ?
Dariusz Kubicki , Chris Boden , Scott Murray , Gareth Barry , Mark Delaney , John McGrath , Liam Ridgewell , Steven Davis , Phil Bardsley , Aleksandar Tonev , Carlos Sanchez , Frederic Guilbert .
Super Tommy Johnson .
What a guy !
The life and soul of Brian Little 's dressing room even when he was n't in the starting line-up , Johnson was as popular with his team-mates as he was with the fans .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mid-1990s , including a 17-minute hat-trick in a 7-1 walloping of Wimbledon in February 1995. Who else wore it ?
Graham Fenton , Steve Cowe , Darren Byfield , Alan Lee , Gustavo Bartelt , Jonathan Bewers , Stefan Moore , Wayne Henderson , Olejnik , Stephen Warnock , Barry Bannan , Samir Carruthers , Carles Gil , Orjan Nyland Busy , hard-working and with a fair bit of quality in his boots , Steve Stone could n't match the impact he made at his former club Nottingham Forest , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Gregory around the late nineties/early noughties .
Who else wore it ?
Julian Joachim , Sasa Curcic , Mark Kinsella , Stefan Moore , Craig Gardner , Andi Weimann , Lewis Kinsella .
The former Manchester United defender did n't have the most memorable time at Villa , but he edges out everybody else in this category by virtue of actually playing fairly regularly for the club in the top flight .
Who else wore it ?
David Hughes , Richard Walker , Michael Standing , Isaiah Osbourne , Joe Bennett , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling here , especially as I 've crowbarred Jonathan Hogg in the list further down - so read on !
If pushed I 'd say Maloney .
There 's slim picking in the No.28 contenders .
There was a frisson of excitement when Maloney arrived from Celtic and while homesickness stopped the Scottish playmaker living up to his billing there were some memorable moments , most notably his setpiece prowess and seven goals in 33 appearances .
Who else wore it ?
Trevor Berry , Tommy Jazczun , Gavin Melaugh , Oyvind Leonhardsen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known for wearing the No.17 shirt , Whittingham is another claret and blue hero taken too soon .
Remained popular with Villa fans despite leaving Villa Park to kick-start his career elsewhere after some brilliant glimpses of his ability and his character .
Who else wore it ?
Matthew Ghent , Richard Walker , Stephen Cooke , Rob Edwards , Stephen O'Halloran , James Collins , Enda Stevens , Hepburn-Murphy , Pepe Reina .
The jury is still out of Kortney Hause who has n't featured in the Premier League for Villa all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already nailed down the No.11 shirt .
So let 's give it Hassan Kachloul who did okay during the early noughties .
Who else wore it ?
Michael Oakes , Adam Rachel , Jonathan Bewers , Kachloul , Rob Edwards , Steven Cooke , Gabby Agbonlahor , Eric Lichaj , Andre Green , Kortney Hause .
Samuel could n't oust Staunton from the No.3 , but the left-back , who tragically died in May 2018 , tops this list .
Played 200 times for Villa in a career spanning eight years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Steven Cooke , Luke Moore , Chris Herd , Shay Given , Mark Bunn , Matija Sarkic .
Nathan Baker gets some credit a bit further down this list , and Luke Moore ca n't make a shirt his own any further up , so let 's give it to the surly striker who promised so much .
Moore scored 15 times in 98 games ( 41 starts 57 subs ) , including a hat-trick against Middlesbrough .
Who else wore it ?
Aaron Lescott , Nathan Baker , Janoi Donacien .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ made two appearances between them ( both for Jose Angel Crespo ) , Gudjonsson wins by default .
The Icelandic midfielder earned notoriety for being the other Villa player sent off in the Dion Dublin-Robbie Savage headbutt derby .
Scored twice in 11 appearances .
Who else wore it ?
Andy Marshall , Benjamin Siegriest , Jose Angel Crespo .
Forever remember for that belting volley against Stoke City , Matt Lowton beats Colin Calderwood who was largely a reliable back up centre-half at the club .
Lowton was one of the better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days hovering around the relegation zone .
Who else wore it ?
Colin Calderwood , Shane Lowry , Easah Suliman , Dominic Revan .
Tough one , hardly any of this list enjoyed game-time and the one who did most , Shay Given , normally wore the No.1 jersey .
Shout out to Stevens and Johnson who showed glimpses of potential but had to move away to realise it .
Who else wore it ?
Adam Rachel , Neil Tarrant , Daniel Johnson , Shay Given , Enda Stevens , Corey-Blackett Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Villa briefly , on loan from Tottenham during the Gerard Houller era , but in that short time he showed the ability that has taken him to the England team and trophy success with Manchester City .
Who else wore it ?
Graham Burke , Charles N'Zogbia , Daniel Johnson , Jerell Sellers , Indiana Vassilev .
So here 's to you , Mr Robinson .
Let 's give this one to Callum .
Another restricted to a bit-part role at Villa who has had to make his name elsewhere .
Who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Derrick Williams , Enda Stevens .
Gulp .
The competition is not great .
While we know Gardner failed to live up to expectations at Villa , he wore the No.38 shirt when he first emerged around the first team and we still dared to dream he would be a star .
Alas it was not to be as his knees buckled too many times and his early promise faded .
Who else wore it ?
John McGrath , Nathan Delfouneso , Graham Burke , Jordan Lyden , Callum Rowe .
Much kudos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone on a remarkable journey from Biggleswade to the Premier League .
If the injury prone striker can find some durability he can become a very useful Emile Heskey time for Villa .
But the best No.39 Villa have had during the Premier League era is Darren Bent .
When Villa smashed their transfer record to bring him from Sunderland in January 2011 he momentarily electrified the club .
His nine goals in the second half of that season were the springboard to Gerrard Houlier 's team not only staying up , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else wore it ?
Peter Enckelman , Wayne Henderson , Bobby Olejnik , Benjamin Siegrist , Riccardo Calder , Rudy Gestede , Keinan Davis .
This is a tough one , too .
If Tyrone Mings stays at Villa , continues wearing the No.40 shirt and shines in the Premier League then he might be owning this section when we refresh it in a couple of years .
Then again if Jack Grealish stays at Villa , continues wearing the No.10 shirt and shines in the Premier League there will be a vacancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't quite make it as my top No.10 yet , but he deserves his place here .
He started out wearing the No.40 when he burst onto the scene .
We 've run out out of superlatives to describe how brilliant he is .
Certainly the best homegrown hero Villa have produced for a generation .
Who else wore it ?
Matthew Ghent , Keith Fahey , Samir Carruthers , Stephen Ireland , Tyrone Mings .
Okay , Alan , here 's your moment .
A cult hero after going from the Bomb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore the 41 shirt at a time he was out of favour , but we do n't need to get bogged down is such piddling details , especially when an academy goalkeeper who never played is his only rival in this category !
Who else wore it ?
Bradley Watkins .
Barry Bannan 's already won one , so let 's give it to his old Bodymoor Heath academy mate , Andi Weimann .
The Austrian striker wore this shirt when he made his breakthrough and went on to enjoy a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ era .
Who else wore it ?
Peter Hynes , Simon Dawkins , Barry Bannan , Niall Mason , Isaiah Bazeley-Graham .
Blimey , slim pickings .
It has to be Ridgewell who was decent enough for Villa before touring the Midlands with West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City , even though his most regular football would not have come in this claret and blue shirt number .
Who else wore it ?
Elliott Parish , Aly Cissokho , Jack Birch .
Around the fringes of the team for a while , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice - for Villa between 2010 and his departure in 2013. Who else wore it ?
Graham Burke , Mungo Bridge .
This was the shirt number Marc Albrighton was given when he played in that controversial UEFA Cup defeat at CSKA Moscow in February 2009 .
Most of his appearances would have come wearing 12 , but he has made 11 his own at Leicester City .
Who else wore it ?
Shane Lowry , Ben Guy .
Yep , we know he 's already won one , but the other two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore this when he made his Villa debut in a UEFA Cup defeat at Hamburg in December 2008. Who else wore it ?
Ben Willets , Anton Hooper .
Another of an impressive class to come through the ranks at Bodymoor in the mid to late noughties .
Spent more of his Villa days in the No.6 shirt , but he was never going to oust Gareth Barry in our lists to make that number his own .
Who else wore it ?
Colin Odutayo .
This was Nathan Baker 's number before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was on the fringes of the first team or out on loan .
Who else wore it ?
Dimitri Sea .
The Aussie utility man was a no nonsense , tough-tackling defender/midfielder for a while , but could n't kick on enough to become a first team regular at Villa .
Who else wore it ?
Michael Tait .
Remember when he was part of Gerard 's Juniors , or whatever we were calling that exciting class of 2010-11 ?
Admittedly Hogg wore 28 that year and the team who were 2-0 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could n't deliver on the hype .
But still , his only contender for the 50 shirt is current academy hopeful Viljami Sinisalo .
Who else wore it ?
Viljami Sinisalo .
We 'll give it to Cameron Archer , a kid who has eight minutes of League Cup action to his name , coming on as a sub in the 6-1 spanking of Crewe .
Mainly because he still has time on his side and a potentially bright Villa future ahead of him .
He beats a man with many shirt numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Australian defender who made two substitute cameo appearances against Rapid Vienna in the UEFA Cup preliminary round in August 2009 , edges out a kid who has played eight minutes of League Cup football for Villa .
For now .
Who else wore it ?
Shane Lowry .
If you enjoyed that , why not check out more of Mat Kendrick 's writing on Villa here or contact him on Twitter

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It's more than a number.
The digits Aston Villa stars and flops wear on the backs of their shirts can be as important to the players as they are to fans.
Over the years certain numbers conjure up special memories - take Stiliyan Petrov and that No.19 for example - while new signings often scramble to wear their lucky number.
But who have been the best and worst players to wear certain shirt numbers during the Premier League era? And yes, we know football was invented before then!
We've flicked through the archives to find out who wore what - and painstakingly come up with our guide to the best No.1, No.2, No.39 and so on.
By 'best' that could mean the actual best, the player who was most associated with that shirt it and, let's face it, a bit of this writer's nostalgic bias might creep in too. My game, my rules!
In the 'Who else wore it?' section we're looking at who was allocated these numbers over the course of the past three decades, even if certain players went on to become more synonymous with other shirts, even if they were squad members or barely/ever played.
1
The best: Mark Bosnich
'Oh, oh the Aussie, Bozzie'. The Australian goalkeeper was originally given No.13 during his emergence, but it wasn't long before he'd ousted Villa legend Nigel Spink for the No.1 shirt. There's been some solid Villa goalkeepers during the Premier League era but none could match Bosnich's agility and personality.
Who else wore it? Nigel Spink, David James, Peter Schmeichel, Peter Enckelman, Thomas Sorensen, Brad Friedel, Shay Given, Brad Guzan, Tom Heaton.
2
The best: Mark Delaney
Earl Barrett and Gary Charles can consider themselves very unlucky indeed not to have won this category as both were brilliant right-backs for Villa. Delaney edges it for these reasons - sheer determination to rise from the lower leagues with Cardiff to the top flight with Villa, longevity in a claret and blue career that lasted eight years and the fact he loves the club so much he is back as an academy coach.
Who else wore it? Earl Barrett, Gary Charles, Steve Watson, Luke Young, Alan Hutton, Nathan Baker, Thiago Ilori.
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3
The best: Steve Staunton
Stan Staunton edges out the likes of Alan Wright, Wilfred Bouma and Jlloyd Samuel here. Staunton was a class act. Defensively he was hard to beat, while that left-foot and his attacking instincts helped him smash in goals and create many more with overlapping runs and measured deliveries.
Who else wore it? Alan Wright, Jlloyd Samuel, Wilfred Bouma, Stephen Warnock, Joe Bennett, Neil Taylor.
4
The best: Olof Mellberg
This was a very difficult choice - and I'm still not sure. Olof edges it for longevity, dedication and reliability, while his well documented comments about the team down the road have added to his claret and blue legacy. It says so much about the impact he made that he has edged out brilliant trophy-winning defenders Shaun Teale and Gareth Southgate, but I felt we needed some more recent entries. Not as recent as Danny Drinkwater, mind!
Who else wore it? Shaun Teale, Gareth Southgate, Steve Sidwell, Ron Vlaar, Micah Richards, Danny Drinkwater.
5
The best: Paul McGrath
Three simple letters are all you need to know. G. O. D. McGrath is arguably the best Villa player ever, let alone their best Premier League No.5. Which is why club greats Ugo Ehiogu and Martin Laursen have to settle for a place on the podium here.
Who else wore it? Ugo Ehiogu, Alpay Ozalan, Martin Laursen, Richard Dunne, Jores Okore, James Chester
6
The best: Gareth Barry
Barry is the clear winner here - which shows just how brilliant GazBaz was that he finishes above the captains who lifted Villa's last two trophies, Kevin Richardson and Andy Townsend. Barry is Villa's record appearance maker in the Prem, playing 365 matches and - you know what? - I can't recall him having a bad game.
Who else wore it? Kevin Richardson, Carl Tiler, Andy Townsend, Steve Watson, George Boateng, Stewart Downing, James Collins, Ciaran Clark, Douglas Luiz.
7
The best: Ian Taylor
Ooh, this is a tough one, but it's gotta be Tayls, hasn't it? The archetypal one of our own, Holte Ender made good, goalscoring midfielder, Coca Cola Cup winner, and all round top bloke. Sorry Ray. Sorry Lee, Sorry Ashley, Sorry Super John McGinn.
Who else wore it? Ray Houghton, Lee Hendrie, Ashley Young, Stephen Ireland, Leandro Bacuna, John McGinn.
8
The best: James Milner
This is super controversial because it probably means we'll end up without Juan Pablo Angel winning any of these categories.
Sorry. But Milner was so good, so busy with graft and craft and such a brilliant bloke and role model during his final years under Martin O'Neill that he has to be my first choice. Yes, even eclipsing Mark Draper whose name and number adorned my old Reebok/AST Computer 1995-96 shirt.
Who else wore it? Garry Parker, John Fashanu, Mark Draper, Juan Pablo Angel, Gavin McCann, Luke Moore, Robert Pires, Jermaine Jenas, Karim El Ahmadi, Tom Cleverley, Idrissa Gueye, Henri Lansbury.
9
The best: Dion Dublin
I've ummed and aahed so much about this one. Dion, Deano or Juan Pablo, Dion, Deano or Juan Pablo.
In the end Dublin just edges it by virtue of outscoring the other two in the Premier League. He found the net 48 times, compared to Angel's 44 and Saunders' 38. This was so tough.
I love Deano for his tongue-out concentration, relentless running, infectious enthusiasm, title-chasing, cup-winning days under Big Ron. I love Angel for his confidence-growing, adversity-battling, classy finishing days under John Gregory, Graham Taylor, David O'Leary and Martin O'Neill. I love Dion Dublin for his injury-recovering, powerful-playing, joyous-celebrating days mostly under Gregory. You tell me, who clinches it for you?
Who else wore it? Dean Saunders, Savo Milosevic, Stan Collymore, Juan Pablo Angel, Stephen Ireland, Darren Bent, Nicklas Helenius, Scott Sinclair, Wesley.
10
The best: Dwight Yorke
I'm wincing at the reaction this one might provoke too, but I simply can't overlook him.
Just remembering that grin transports me back to a time when he was balancing the ball on his head pre-match, leave defenders on their backsides, dinking in penalties, all with the Frank Sinatra chant soundtrack. Start spreading the news that he has edged out Dalian, Merse, Big John Carew and arguably most controversially of all, Jack Grealish. Yep, I know Dwight kissed the Man United badge and ended up at Blues, but what memories. What a player. PS: Stay tuned, Super Jack's moment will come.
Who else wore it? Dalian Atkinson, Tommy Johnson, Paul Merson, Darius Vassell, Milan Baros, John Carew, Charles N'Zogbia, Andi Weimann, Jack Grealish.
11
The best: Gabby Agbonlahor
Gabby reigns supreme here. Over time he has become synonymous with that No.11 shirt, most often wheeling away celebrating a goal against Blues or breaching the defences of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United - or (perfect hat-trick time) Manchester City.
His 74 goals make him the club's leading scorer in the Prem era and it's a record that will take some beating. There's some decent contenders here, to be fair, not least another Brummie pace ace, Tony Daley.
Who else wore it? Tony Daley, Andy Townsend, Stan Collymore, Alan Thompson, Steve Staunton, Nobby Solano, James Milner, Stiliyan Petrov, Marvelous Nakamba.
12
The best: Julian Joachim
Torn between Julian Joachim and Thomas Hitzlsperger on this one. 'Der Hammer', as the German midfielder was known, was probably more popular with the Villa Park faithful, but Joachim's impact is often underestimated. He rattled in 45 goals at a time when Villa were a Premier League force. Would love to have seen more from Steven Davis and Marc Albrighton in the famous claret and blue, too.
Who else wore it? Steve Froggatt, Nii Lamptey, Phil King, Peter Enckelman, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Steven Davis, Marc Albrighton, Joe Cole,
Jed Steer.
13
The best: Nigel Spink
In the battle of the sub goalies let's give it to Spinksy. When it comes to having goalkeeping back up on the bench there's nobody better than Spink, as he proved on Villa's greatest night.
Who else wore it? Mark Bosnich, Michael Oakes, Neil Cutler, Boaz Myhill, Stefan Postma, Stuart Taylor, Michael Bradley, Jed Steer.
14
The best: Alan Wright
Alan Wright, Wright, Wright. A little goes a long way and the little left-back signed by Brian Little certainly went a long way towards fan favourite status at Villa. Infamously suffered the weirdest of woes when he got repetitive stain injury from the clutch pedal in his Ferrari, but famously was a flying full-back who loved to bomb forward and whose diminutive stature was no barrier to committed, combative defending.
Who else wore it? Andy Townsend, Garry Parker, Dion Dublin, Neil Tarrant, David Ginola, Marcus Allback, Eric Djemba Djemba, Nathan
Delfouneso, Brett Holman, Antonio Luna, Phillipe Senderos, Conor Hourihane.
15
The best: Fernando Nelson
Gareth Barry and Gabby Agbonlahor have already featured and Lee Hendrie soon will. Phil King has a shout for THAT penalty, but for me ultra reliable unsung hero Fernando Nelson edges this shirt number.
Who else wore it? Phil King, Lee Hendrie, Gareth Barry, Ulises De La Cruz, Gabby Agbonlahor, Curtis Davies, Ashley Westwood, Ezri Konsa.
16
The best: Ugo Ehiogu
(Image: Birmingham Post and Mail)
UGO! UGO! The honour goes to the late, great Ugo Ehiogu, a giant of a man. Villa have boasted some brilliant centre-halves during the Premier League era and long before then, too. This towering hero is right up there with the best of them.
Who else wore it? Simon Grayson, Alpay Ozalan, Peter Crouch, Mathieu Berson, Wilfred Bouma, Zat Knight, Fabian Delph, Joleon Lescott.
17
The best: Lee Hendrie
Lee Hendrie got beaten to the No.7 accolade by Ian Taylor, but he deserves his moment here. Played most of his claret and blue career wearing 17 and, while that nagging doubt persists that he could have been even better, 308 appearances, 32 goals and an England cap were impressive achievements.
Who else wore it? Neil Cox, Ian Taylor, Franz Carr, Peter Whittingham, Ashley Young, Moustapha Salifou, Jean Makoun, Chris Herd, Jordan Veretout, Trezeguet.
18
The best: Benito Carbone
Carbone spent less than a season at Villa around the turn of the millennium after John Gregory signed him from Sheffield Wednesday, but he still became a fans' favourite with nine goals in 30 appearances including that belting strike against Leeds United in the FA Cup at Villa Park.
Who else wore it? Dwight Yorke, Fabio Ferraresi, Benito Carbone, Steve Stone, Juan Pablo Angel, Carlton Cole, Aaron Hughes, Wayne Routledge, Emile Heskey, Yacouba Sylla, Kieran Richardson, Matt Targett.
19
The best: Stiliyan Petrov
(Image: Nick Potts/PA)
Okay so emotion and sentimentality are factors in this choice, but make no mistake Petrov wins this on merit.
Even before the courageous leukaemia battle convinced us what a what this bloke was, Petrov was the ticking beat of a Villa midfield on the very brink of cracking the Champions League ceiling. Read it and weep, Yacouba Sylla!
Who else wore it? Stefan Beinlich, Graham Fenton, Gareth Farrelly, David Hughes, Richard Walker, Bosko Balaban, Liam Ridgewell, Darren Bent, Jordan Ayew.
20
The best: Christian Benteke
It simply has to be Christian Benteke, doesn't it? With a Chris Smallinbg-eque shoulder barge, the big Belgian has barged any contenders out of the way. Forty two goals for Villa, many of them belters, and opposition markers crying for their moms, gave Benteke Holte End darling status. Why did it have to end so soon? A question the Villa Park faithful and the Crystal Palace striker himself ask regularly.
Who else wore it? Matthias Breitkreutz, Brian Small, Riccardo Scimeca, Najwan Ghrayib, Mustapha Hadji, Vaclav Drobny, Kevin Phillips, Chris Sutton, Nigel Reo-Coker, Robbie Keane, Adama Traore, Mbwana Samatta.
21
The best: Thomas Hitzlsperger
(Image: Sunday Mercury)
114 games, 12 goals and a shot that could terrify goalkeepers, the German midfielder didn't wear the 21 shirt for too many seasons, but whatever number he wore he is ability and attitude made him popular with Villa fans.
Who else wore it? Dave Farrell, Paul Browne, Lee Collins, Darren Byfield, Jloyd Samuel, Steve Davis, Gary Cahill, Nicky Shorey, Ciaran Clark, Jordan Bowery, Alan Hutton, Anwar El Ghazi.
22
The best: Darius Vassell
(Image: Rui Vieira/PA)
The Darius Vassell who first burst onto the scene at Villa around the turn of the millennium was like a whirling dervish, so quick, so busy and with a knack for scoring goals, too. It remains a shame that he didn't go on to achieve real legendary status at Villa, but 45 goals in 201 appearances is a return that will be remembered fondly by the Villa Park masses.
Who else wore it? Guy Whittingham, Gary Charles, Dave Farrell, Hassan Kachloul, Luke Moore, Scott Carson, Brad Guzan, Gary Gardner, Bjorn Engels.
23
The best: Bryan Small
The Brummie defender gets the nod here for me. There might be shouts for Jordan Amavi, but the French full-back's part in the relegation season takes the edge off someone who is clearly a very good player. Small wins because he patiently and ably provided cover for Steve Staunton as a loyal and dependable deputy.
Who else wore it? Neil Davis, David Hughes, Najwan Ghrayib, Stefan Moore, Patrick Berger, Habib Beye, Aly Cissokho, Jordan Amavi, Jota.
24
The best: Carlos Cuellar
The Spaniard just fends off competition from the Pole, Dariusz Kubicki. Both players were steady if not spectacular when called upon. Cuellar's versatility - arriving as a centre-half, but playing most of the time at right-back - the fact he gave away t-shirts to fans on his final farewell and the coffee he kindly bought me at Brindley Place once wins him this category!
Who else wore it? Dariusz Kubicki, Chris Boden, Scott Murray, Gareth Barry, Mark Delaney, John McGrath, Liam Ridgewell, Steven Davis, Phil Bardsley, Aleksandar Tonev, Carlos Sanchez, Frederic Guilbert.
25
The best: Tommy Johnson
Super Tommy Johnson. What a guy! The life and soul of Brian Little's dressing room even when he wasn't in the starting line-up, Johnson was as popular with his team-mates as he was with the fans. He scored 17 goals in 71 appearances in the mid-1990s, including a 17-minute hat-trick in a 7-1 walloping of Wimbledon in February 1995.
Who else wore it? Graham Fenton, Steve Cowe, Darren Byfield, Alan Lee, Gustavo Bartelt, Jonathan Bewers, Stefan Moore, Wayne Henderson, Olejnik, Stephen Warnock, Barry Bannan, Samir Carruthers, Carles Gil, Orjan Nyland
26
The best: Steve Stone
Busy, hard-working and with a fair bit of quality in his boots, Steve Stone couldn't match the impact he made at his former club Nottingham Forest, but he was still a very useful player under John Gregory around the late nineties/early noughties.
Who else wore it? Julian Joachim, Sasa Curcic, Mark Kinsella, Stefan Moore, Craig Gardner, Andi Weimann, Lewis Kinsella.
27
The best: Ronnie Johnsen
The former Manchester United defender didn't have the most memorable time at Villa, but he edges out everybody else in this category by virtue of actually playing fairly regularly for the club in the top flight.
Who else wore it? David Hughes, Richard Walker, Michael Standing, Isaiah Osbourne, Joe Bennett, Libor Kozak, Ahmed Elmohamady
28
The best: Shaun Maloney
I'm struggling here, especially as I've crowbarred Jonathan Hogg in the list further down - so read on! If pushed I'd say Maloney. There's slim picking in the No.28 contenders. There was a frisson of excitement when Maloney arrived from Celtic and while homesickness stopped the Scottish playmaker living up to his billing there were some memorable moments, most notably his setpiece prowess and seven goals in 33 appearances.
Who else wore it? Trevor Berry, Tommy Jazczun, Gavin Melaugh, Oyvind Leonhardsen, Jonathan Hogg, Charles N'Zogbia
29
The best: Peter Whittingham
Better known for wearing the No.17 shirt, Whittingham is another claret and blue hero taken too soon. Remained popular with Villa fans despite leaving Villa Park to kick-start his career elsewhere after some brilliant glimpses of his ability and his character.
Who else wore it? Matthew Ghent, Richard Walker, Stephen Cooke, Rob Edwards, Stephen O'Halloran, James Collins, Enda Stevens, Hepburn-Murphy, Pepe Reina.
30
The best: Hassan Kachloul
The jury is still out of Kortney Hause who hasn't featured in the Premier League for Villa all that often yet, while Gabby Agbonlahor has already nailed down the No.11 shirt. So let's give it Hassan Kachloul who did okay during the early noughties.
Who else wore it? Michael Oakes, Adam Rachel, Jonathan Bewers, Kachloul, Rob Edwards, Steven Cooke, Gabby Agbonlahor, Eric Lichaj, Andre Green, Kortney Hause.
31
The best: Jlloyd Samuel
Samuel couldn't oust Staunton from the No.3, but the left-back, who tragically died in May 2018, tops this list. Played 200 times for Villa in a career spanning eight years.
Who else wore it? Stuart Brock, Steven Cooke, Luke Moore, Chris Herd, Shay Given, Mark Bunn, Matija Sarkic.
32
The best: Luke Moore
Nathan Baker gets some credit a bit further down this list, and Luke Moore can't make a shirt his own any further up, so let's give it to the surly striker who promised so much. Moore scored 15 times in 98 games (41 starts 57 subs), including a hat-trick against Middlesbrough.
Who else wore it? Aaron Lescott, Nathan Baker, Janoi Donacien.
33
The best: Joey Gudjonsson
Considering his contenders in this list only made two appearances between them (both for Jose Angel Crespo), Gudjonsson wins by default.
The Icelandic midfielder earned notoriety for being the other Villa player sent off in the Dion Dublin-Robbie Savage headbutt derby. Scored twice in 11 appearances.
Who else wore it? Andy Marshall, Benjamin Siegriest, Jose Angel Crespo.
34
The best: Matt Lowton
Forever remember for that belting volley against Stoke City, Matt Lowton beats Colin Calderwood who was largely a reliable back up centre-half at the club. Lowton was one of the better players Paul Lambert drafted in during difficult days hovering around the relegation zone.
Who else wore it? Colin Calderwood, Shane Lowry, Easah Suliman, Dominic Revan.
35
The best: Enda Stevens/Daniel Johnson
Tough one, hardly any of this list enjoyed game-time and the one who did most, Shay Given, normally wore the No.1 jersey. Shout out to Stevens and Johnson who showed glimpses of potential but had to move away to realise it.
Who else wore it? Adam Rachel, Neil Tarrant, Daniel Johnson, Shay Given, Enda Stevens, Corey-Blackett Taylor, Jake Walker.
36
The best: Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker was only at Villa briefly, on loan from Tottenham during the Gerard Houller era, but in that short time he showed the ability that has taken him to the England team and trophy success with Manchester City.
Who else wore it? Graham Burke, Charles N'Zogbia, Daniel Johnson, Jerell Sellers, Indiana Vassilev.
37
The best: Callum Robinson
(Image: Neville Williams)
So here's to you, Mr Robinson. Let's give this one to Callum. Another restricted to a bit-part role at Villa who has had to make his name elsewhere.
Who else wore it? Boaz Myhill, Derrick Williams, Enda Stevens.
38
The best: Gary Gardner
Gulp. The competition is not great. While we know Gardner failed to live up to expectations at Villa, he wore the No.38 shirt when he first emerged around the first team and we still dared to dream he would be a star. Alas it was not to be as his knees buckled too many times and his early promise faded.
Who else wore it? John McGrath, Nathan Delfouneso, Graham Burke, Jordan Lyden, Callum Rowe.
39
The best: Darren Bent
Much kudos and respect to Keinan Davis who has gone on a remarkable journey from Biggleswade to the Premier League.
If the injury prone striker can find some durability he can become a very useful Emile Heskey time for Villa.
But the best No.39 Villa have had during the Premier League era is Darren Bent.
When Villa smashed their transfer record to bring him from Sunderland in January 2011 he momentarily electrified the club.
His nine goals in the second half of that season were the springboard to Gerrard Houlier's team not only staying up, but going on to finish ninth.
Who else wore it? Peter Enckelman, Wayne Henderson, Bobby Olejnik, Benjamin Siegrist, Riccardo Calder, Rudy Gestede, Keinan Davis.
40
The best: Jack Grealish
This is a tough one, too.
If Tyrone Mings stays at Villa, continues wearing the No.40 shirt and shines in the Premier League then he might be owning this section when we refresh it in a couple of years.
Then again if Jack Grealish stays at Villa, continues wearing the No.10 shirt and shines in the Premier League there will be a vacancy for the No.40!
Super Jack couldn't quite make it as my top No.10 yet, but he deserves his place here. He started out wearing the No.40 when he burst onto the scene.
We've run out out of superlatives to describe how brilliant he is. Certainly the best homegrown hero Villa have produced for a generation.
Who else wore it? Matthew Ghent, Keith Fahey, Samir Carruthers, Stephen Ireland, Tyrone Mings.
41
The best: Alan Hutton
(Image: Birmingham Mail)
Okay, Alan, here's your moment. A cult hero after going from the Bomb Squad to Scottish Cafu status. He wore the 41 shirt at a time he was out of favour, but we don't need to get bogged down is such piddling details, especially when an academy goalkeeper who never played is his only rival in this category!
Who else wore it? Bradley Watkins.
42
The best: Andi Weimann
Barry Bannan's already won one, so let's give it to his old Bodymoor Heath academy mate, Andi Weimann. The Austrian striker wore this shirt when he made his breakthrough and went on to enjoy a couple of very encouraging seasons during the Paul Lambert era.
Who else wore it? Peter Hynes, Simon Dawkins, Barry Bannan, Niall Mason, Isaiah Bazeley-Graham.
43
The best: Liam Ridgewell
Blimey, slim pickings. It has to be Ridgewell who was decent enough for Villa before touring the Midlands with West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City, even though his most regular football would not have come in this claret and blue shirt number.
Who else wore it? Elliott Parish, Aly Cissokho, Jack Birch.
44
The best: Eric Lichaj
Around the fringes of the team for a while, the American defender made 42 appearances - scoring twice - for Villa between 2010 and his departure in 2013.
Who else wore it? Graham Burke, Mungo Bridge.
45
The best: Marc Albrighton
This was the shirt number Marc Albrighton was given when he played in that controversial UEFA Cup defeat at CSKA Moscow in February 2009. Most of his appearances would have come wearing 12, but he has made 11 his own at Leicester City.
Who else wore it? Shane Lowry, Ben Guy.
46
The best: Barry Bannan
Yep, we know he's already won one, but the other two have not played for Villa. Bannan wore this when he made his Villa debut in a UEFA Cup defeat at Hamburg in December 2008.
Who else wore it? Ben Willets, Anton Hooper.
47
The best: Ciaran Clark
Another of an impressive class to come through the ranks at Bodymoor in the mid to late noughties. Spent more of his Villa days in the No.6 shirt, but he was never going to oust Gareth Barry in our lists to make that number his own.
Who else wore it? Colin Odutayo.
48
The best: Nathan Baker
This was Nathan Baker's number before he made his Villa debut and when he was on the fringes of the first team or out on loan.
Who else wore it? Dimitri Sea.
49
The best: Chris Herd
The Aussie utility man was a no nonsense, tough-tackling defender/midfielder for a while, but couldn't kick on enough to become a first team regular at Villa.
Who else wore it? Michael Tait.
50
The best: Jonathan Hogg
Remember when he was part of Gerard's Juniors, or whatever we were calling that exciting class of 2010-11?
Admittedly Hogg wore 28 that year and the team who were 2-0 up and drew 2-2 against Man United couldn't deliver on the hype. But still, his only contender for the 50 shirt is current academy hopeful Viljami Sinisalo.
Who else wore it? Viljami Sinisalo.
51
The best: Cameron Archer
We'll give it to Cameron Archer, a kid who has eight minutes of League Cup action to his name, coming on as a sub in the 6-1 spanking of Crewe. Mainly because he still has time on his side and a potentially bright Villa future ahead of him. He beats a man with many shirt numbers, but few appearances, Shane Lowry. The Australian defender who made two substitute cameo appearances against Rapid Vienna in the UEFA Cup preliminary round in August 2009, edges out a kid who has played eight minutes of League Cup football for Villa. For now.
Who else wore it? Shane Lowry.
If you enjoyed that, why not check out more of Mat Kendrick's writing on Villa here or contact him on Twitter


birminghammail--2020-04-24--Tom Moore reaches No 1 in chart with You'll Never Walk Alone cover

Captain Tom Moore has become the oldest artist to reach number one on the UK singles chart as his rendition of You 'll Never Walk Alone landed in the top spot in time for his 100th birthday .
The war veteran has already raised more than £28 million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden and his song , with Michael Ball and The NHS Voices Of Care Choir , is part of his continued fundraising during the coronavirus crisis .
His chart victory comes after his closest competitor , The Weeknd , asked his fans to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track Blinding Lights .
You 'll Never Walk Alone is now the fastest selling single of 2020 , according to the Official Charts Company , clinching the top spot with combined chart sales of 82,000 units , with The Weeknd 's Blinding Lights trailing in second place with a tally of 69,000 .
Ball told OfficialCharts.com : `` This is the most extraordinary thing , one of the most proudest moments of my career , but it 's not about me , it 's about Captain Tom .
`` Thank you for giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday .
You are the best , God bless ya . ''
Martin Talbot , chief executive Official Charts Company , added : `` The sight of Captain Tom Moore and Michael Ball at the top of the official singles chart this week should lift everybody 's spirits in these extraordinary times .
`` We are absolutely delighted to see them at the pinnacle and setting new landmarks as they go - including a record as the oldest number one singles artist of all time .
`` It has been a roller coaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead for Captain Tom , before The Weeknd closed the gap yesterday to almost nothing - before a massive surge in the final day by Captain Tom .
`` Huge thanks to The Weeknd for lending his support at the eleventh hour .
But this is Captain Tom 's week - congratulations sir and happy birthday for next week .
You are a hero to us all . ''
At 99 years and 11 months , Captain Tom is the oldest artist to reach the top spot on the Official Singles Chart in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also become the first centenarian to top the charts as he will turn 100 on Thursday , while he still holds the number one spot .
The BBC 's Live Lounge Allstars charity cover of Foo Fighters song Times Like These entered the chart at number five within hours of release , while St Jhn 's Roses slipped from number two to three and Drake 's Tootsie Slide slid from third spot to fourth .

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Captain Tom Moore has become the oldest artist to reach number one on the UK singles chart as his rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone landed in the top spot in time for his 100th birthday.
The war veteran has already raised more than £28 million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden and his song, with Michael Ball and The NHS Voices Of Care Choir, is part of his continued fundraising during the coronavirus crisis.
His chart victory comes after his closest competitor, The Weeknd, asked his fans to support Captain Tom, rather than back his track Blinding Lights.
You'll Never Walk Alone is now the fastest selling single of 2020, according to the Official Charts Company, clinching the top spot with combined chart sales of 82,000 units, with The Weeknd's Blinding Lights trailing in second place with a tally of 69,000.
Ball told OfficialCharts.com: "This is the most extraordinary thing, one of the most proudest moments of my career, but it's not about me, it's about Captain Tom.
"Thank you for giving him a number one on his 100th birthday. You are the best, God bless ya."
(Image: PA)
Martin Talbot, chief executive Official Charts Company, added: "The sight of Captain Tom Moore and Michael Ball at the top of the official singles chart this week should lift everybody's spirits in these extraordinary times.
"We are absolutely delighted to see them at the pinnacle and setting new landmarks as they go - including a record as the oldest number one singles artist of all time.
"It has been a roller coaster week, starting with a big initial lead for Captain Tom, before The Weeknd closed the gap yesterday to almost nothing - before a massive surge in the final day by Captain Tom.
"Huge thanks to The Weeknd for lending his support at the eleventh hour. But this is Captain Tom's week - congratulations sir and happy birthday for next week. You are a hero to us all."
At 99 years and 11 months, Captain Tom is the oldest artist to reach the top spot on the Official Singles Chart in its near 70-year history.
(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
He will also become the first centenarian to top the charts as he will turn 100 on Thursday, while he still holds the number one spot.
The BBC's Live Lounge Allstars charity cover of Foo Fighters song Times Like These entered the chart at number five within hours of release, while St Jhn's Roses slipped from number two to three and Drake's Tootsie Slide slid from third spot to fourth.


birminghammail--2020-04-24--Suspected dealer arrested for alleged drug driving

A suspected drug dealer has been arrested after cops pulled him over and conducted a drugs test .
Officers stopped the suspicious vehicle on Commonside , Pensnett , and discovered a quantity of suspected class A drugs and a large amount of cash .
A drugs wipe was also conducted on the driver , which police said indicated he had drugs in his system .
Police arrested the driver on suspicion of driving whilst unfit through drugs and possession with intent to supply controlled drugs .
PC Jamie Follows took to West Midlands Police 's online alert system WM Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The alert said : `` Whilst on patrol officers from C unit response based at Brierley hill conducted a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle .
`` We stopped the car on Commonside , Pensnett and conducted a stop and search of the driver .
He was also subject to a roadside drugs wipe .
`` We located a quantity of suspected class A drugs and a large amount of cash .
The drugs wipe indicated he had drugs in his system .
`` The male is now under arrest on suspicion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with intent to supply controlled drugs .
We will also be seeking to prosecute the driver under the new health protection regulations .
`` The male remains in custody as we continue to investigate . ''

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A suspected drug dealer has been arrested after cops pulled him over and conducted a drugs test.
Officers stopped the suspicious vehicle on Commonside, Pensnett, and discovered a quantity of suspected class A drugs and a large amount of cash.
A drugs wipe was also conducted on the driver, which police said indicated he had drugs in his system.
Police arrested the driver on suspicion of driving whilst unfit through drugs and possession with intent to supply controlled drugs.
PC Jamie Follows took to West Midlands Police's online alert system WM Now to tell residents about the incident. The alert said: "Whilst on patrol officers from C unit response based at Brierley hill conducted a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle.
"We stopped the car on Commonside, Pensnett and conducted a stop and search of the driver. He was also subject to a roadside drugs wipe.
"We located a quantity of suspected class A drugs and a large amount of cash. The drugs wipe indicated he had drugs in his system.
"The male is now under arrest on suspicion of driving whilst unfit through drugs and possession with intent to supply controlled drugs. We will also be seeking to prosecute the driver under the new health protection regulations.
"The male remains in custody as we continue to investigate."


birminghammail--2020-04-24--Wolves and Liverpool given major boost in race for Milot Rashica

Milot Rashica ’ s transfer value could plummet this summer , if Werder Bremen are relegated from the Bundesliga .
The forward has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe , including Wolverhampton Wanderers .
Along with Wolves – Liverpool and Aston Villa have also been linked with Rashica , who has 10 goals in all competitions this season .
It was claimed that a number of teams were interested in the January window , but no club was willing to meet Bremen ’ s £33m asking price .
However , according to Sport Bild if Bremen go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a reported €15m .
Bremen ’ s Bundesliga rivals , RB Leipzig , are said to be leading the race for Rashica , with the player himself believed to favour staying in Germany .
Werder Bremen currently find themselves in the relegation zone of the German top flight , with just 18 points from their 24 games .
Their league campaign is set to resume at the beginning of May , where Bremen will have 10 games to preserve their top flight status .
The player ’ s agent , Altin Lala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he anticipates a move in the near future for his client .
“ Before the coronavirus crisis , we were in contact with some clubs - including those from the Bundesliga , ” he told Sport1 .
“ At the moment , everything is standing still .
I am sure that soon , when we are back to normal , there will be movement on the topic and something will definitely happen .
“ It is clear that until the end of the season Milot will concentrate entirely on staying up with Werder @ @ @

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Milot Rashica’s transfer value could plummet this summer, if Werder Bremen are relegated from the Bundesliga.
The forward has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe, including Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Along with Wolves – Liverpool and Aston Villa have also been linked with Rashica, who has 10 goals in all competitions this season.
It was claimed that a number of teams were interested in the January window, but no club was willing to meet Bremen’s £33m asking price.
However, according to Sport Bild if Bremen go down, his release clause will drop to a reported €15m.
Bremen’s Bundesliga rivals, RB Leipzig, are said to be leading the race for Rashica, with the player himself believed to favour staying in Germany.
Werder Bremen currently find themselves in the relegation zone of the German top flight, with just 18 points from their 24 games. Their league campaign is set to resume at the beginning of May, where Bremen will have 10 games to preserve their top flight status.
The player’s agent, Altin Lala, recently fuelled speculation by claiming that he anticipates a move in the near future for his client.
“Before the coronavirus crisis, we were in contact with some clubs - including those from the Bundesliga,” he told Sport1.
“At the moment, everything is standing still. I am sure that soon, when we are back to normal, there will be movement on the topic and something will definitely happen.
“It is clear that until the end of the season Milot will concentrate entirely on staying up with Werder Bremen.”


birminghammail--2020-04-24--Aston Villa to transform Villa Park into new maternity centre

Villa Park will be transformed into a super-new maternity facility for new and expectant mums from next week .
Villa have teamed up with Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to provide care to women who are 24 weeks gone in their pregnancies .
In addition to postnatal and antenatal care by midwives , health visitors will also hold appointments for new parents and newborn hearing screening tests .
There will also be postnatal clinics for those who have been discharged , too .
The fully-equipped venue will take over the boxes in the North Stand and will be staffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers , with two health visitors taking appointments .
Deputy director of Midwifery , Louise Wilde , who is also a Villa fan , said : “ I am really pleased that Aston Villa agreed to accommodate the Trust .
“ I decided to approach our local football teams because they ’ re in a perfect position to help us deliver these clinics .
“ There are no matches being played and geographically they are both in the right place for our patients .
“ It also provides an alternative to a hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxious about coming to.
” Guy Rippon , head of Aston Villa Foundation , was proud that the club could support the health service during a time of need .
He said : “ We are delighted to be able to help out our local NHS hospitals by opening up Villa Park as a temporary maternity clinic .
“ During these uncertain times , our famous home will provide a safe environment for local expectant mothers and their midwives and nurses to be able to carry out their vital work.
” There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Monday to Friday , between 9am and 5pm and they will be based in an area of the North Stand .
It will be as safe as the services that are currently provided by the Trust ’ s midwives within the community , and in GP clinics .
Should the need arise , they will be able to call on the ambulance service .

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Villa Park will be transformed into a super-new maternity facility for new and expectant mums from next week.
Villa have teamed up with Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to provide care to women who are 24 weeks gone in their pregnancies.
In addition to postnatal and antenatal care by midwives, health visitors will also hold appointments for new parents and newborn hearing screening tests. There will also be postnatal clinics for those who have been discharged, too.
The fully-equipped venue will take over the boxes in the North Stand and will be staffed by 10 midwives, and two support workers, with two health visitors taking appointments.
Deputy director of Midwifery, Louise Wilde, who is also a Villa fan, said: “I am really pleased that Aston Villa agreed to accommodate the Trust.
(Image: Aston Villa FC)
“I decided to approach our local football teams because they’re in a perfect position to help us deliver these clinics.
“There are no matches being played and geographically they are both in the right place for our patients.
“It also provides an alternative to a hospital setting which some of our women felt anxious about coming to.”
Guy Rippon, head of Aston Villa Foundation, was proud that the club could support the health service during a time of need.
He said: “We are delighted to be able to help out our local NHS hospitals by opening up Villa Park as a temporary maternity clinic.
“During these uncertain times, our famous home will provide a safe environment for local expectant mothers and their midwives and nurses to be able to carry out their vital work.”
There will be a total of five clinics held from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm and they will be based in an area of the North Stand.
It will be as safe as the services that are currently provided by the Trust’s midwives within the community, and in GP clinics.
Should the need arise, they will be able to call on the ambulance service.


birminghammail--2020-04-24--McDonald's to 're-open UK branches - new date revealed'

McDonald 's is reportedly set to reopen UK and Ireland branches within weeks amid the coronavirus crisis .
The popular fast food chain was forced to first shut its restaurants - then drive-thrus - across the city during the Covid-19 lockdown .
On the last day of the drive-thru , on March 23 , huge queues formed outside restaurants as diners clamoured to get their hands on one last meal .
But now a re-opening date has been reported in the Farmer 's Journal .
It is reported branches in the UK and Ireland will open in mid-May .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breaking : the @ farmersjournal understands McDonalds will reopen its restaurants in the UK and Ireland in mid-May . ''
The food chain previously decided to close amid the UK shutdown to help prevent the spread of coronavirus .
In a statement last month , it said : “ This is not a decision we are taking lightly , but one made with the well-being and safety of our employees in mind as well as in the best interests of our customers .
“ We will work with local community groups to responsibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days.
” We previously revealed one drive-thru restaurant , situated in Leicester , has been changed into a spot where people can be tested for the deadly bug .
The outlet , at Meridian Business Park , was handed over for use by DHU Healthcare to become the testing centre .
The fast food chain has outlined other ways it has supported the community through the pandemic .
The company has donated more than 300 tonnes of food and 100,000 litres of milk to key workers and vulnerable people through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities in the UK .

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McDonald's is reportedly set to reopen UK and Ireland branches within weeks amid the coronavirus crisis.
The popular fast food chain was forced to first shut its restaurants - then drive-thrus - across the city during the Covid-19 lockdown.
On the last day of the drive-thru, on March 23, huge queues formed outside restaurants as diners clamoured to get their hands on one last meal.
But now a re-opening date has been reported in the Farmer's Journal.
(Image: SWNS)
It is reported branches in the UK and Ireland will open in mid-May.
A reporter for the publication tweeted: "Breaking: the @farmersjournal understands McDonalds will reopen its restaurants in the UK and Ireland in mid-May."
The food chain previously decided to close amid the UK shutdown to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
In a statement last month, it said: “This is not a decision we are taking lightly, but one made with the well-being and safety of our employees in mind as well as in the best interests of our customers.
“We will work with local community groups to responsibly distribute food and drink from our restaurants in the coming days.”
We previously revealed one drive-thru restaurant, situated in Leicester, has been changed into a spot where people can be tested for the deadly bug.
The outlet, at Meridian Business Park, was handed over for use by DHU Healthcare to become the testing centre.
The fast food chain has outlined other ways it has supported the community through the pandemic.
The company has donated more than 300 tonnes of food and 100,000 litres of milk to key workers and vulnerable people through food banks, across 1,900 towns and cities in the UK.


birminghammail--2020-04-24--ADVERTORIAL: Are you secretly enjoying home schooling? Study to be a teacher

There 's no denying it 's been a strange time for families .
With the school run out the window and lockdown in full swing , thousands have found themselves taking on a dual role of teacher/parent .
Of course , it 's been a huge change and probably quite challenging at times but has it also felt strangely rewarding ?
From playtime in the garden together , to mass Lego building sessions and a whole lot of improvised fun , keeping your little ones entertained in an educational way is a skill in itself .
And if you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought it may be time to consider a career in teaching .
Michelle Pearson , head of initial teacher education at Liverpool Hope University said : `` If you have enjoyed spending much more time with the children have you considered teaching ?
`` Being on furlough or working from home gives people the opportunity to re-evaluate their career goals and if teaching is one of them then Liverpool Hope University can help . ''
Why this university and why now ?
As the children 's 'summer term ' starts at home this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully qualified teacher ?
Liverpool Hope University is well-known for its excellent teacher training pedigree and has courses starting in September .
There are plenty of options to choose from including an early years education degree or one of the PGCE routes .
Here you will gain significant experience and develop an understanding of the needs of young children , thanks to the excellent connections the university has with a wide range of partner schools in the area .
How does it work ?
With open days impractical right now due to social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out all the stops .
Keen to e-meet candidates the teaching faculty are holding Zoom conversations with prospective students to answer all your questions .
The process will include talking about why you want to become a teacher and what teaching is like at Hope .
It is a very welcoming and informal chat which will also help you to decide if it 's the right choice for you .
Current students are on hand to talk you through their experience and answer any further queries you may have about life at Hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task over the digital portal .
Michelle said : `` The feedback has been really positive and candidates have enjoyed taking part in the virtual applicant days by meeting staff and current students .
You can also tour the campus virtually . ''
What are they looking for ?
It may sound obvious but to get the most out of teaching , you need to like children .
`` If you do n't then it 's not the career for you '' advises Michelle .
A teacher at Hope shares the same educational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same qualities .
The tutor explains : `` A teacher is not just someone who can get a child through a test .
We want to take people who really want to make a difference .
`` A Hope teacher creates and instills a vision of ambition ; you see it in them and in the children they teach .
They are reflective and if something does n't work quite right they want to know how to do it better next time .
`` They are also great team players and care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
We believe everybody has the right to a high quality education and they will help children develop through creativity . ''
If this sounds like you , and you are considering a career in teaching then it 's not too late to put in an application to enrol for September .
For further information about studying education at Liverpool Hope University click here .

There's no denying it's been a strange time for families.
With the school run out the window and lockdown in full swing, thousands have found themselves taking on a dual role of teacher/parent.
Of course, it's been a huge change and probably quite challenging at times but has it also felt strangely rewarding?
From playtime in the garden together, to mass Lego building sessions and a whole lot of improvised fun, keeping your little ones entertained in an educational way is a skill in itself.
And if you have relished this new role more than you thought it may be time to consider a career in teaching.
Michelle Pearson, head of initial teacher education at Liverpool Hope University said: "If you have enjoyed spending much more time with the children have you considered teaching?
"Being on furlough or working from home gives people the opportunity to re-evaluate their career goals and if teaching is one of them then Liverpool Hope University can help."
Why this university and why now?
As the children's 'summer term' starts at home this week, why not consider becoming a fully qualified teacher?
Liverpool Hope University is well-known for its excellent teacher training pedigree and has courses starting in September.
There are plenty of options to choose from including an early years education degree or one of the PGCE routes.
Here you will gain significant experience and develop an understanding of the needs of young children, thanks to the excellent connections the university has with a wide range of partner schools in the area.
How does it work?
With open days impractical right now due to social distancing rules Liverpool Hope University has pulled out all the stops.
Keen to e-meet candidates the teaching faculty are holding Zoom conversations with prospective students to answer all your questions.
The process will include talking about why you want to become a teacher and what teaching is like at Hope. It is a very welcoming and informal chat which will also help you to decide if it's the right choice for you.
Current students are on hand to talk you through their experience and answer any further queries you may have about life at Hope University.
It also includes a presentation task over the digital portal.
Michelle said: "The feedback has been really positive and candidates have enjoyed taking part in the virtual applicant days by meeting staff and current students. You can also tour the campus virtually."
What are they looking for?
It may sound obvious but to get the most out of teaching, you need to like children.
"If you don't then it's not the career for you" advises Michelle.
A teacher at Hope shares the same educational ambitions as the university and aspires to the same qualities.
The tutor explains: "A teacher is not just someone who can get a child through a test. We want to take people who really want to make a difference.
"A Hope teacher creates and instills a vision of ambition; you see it in them and in the children they teach. They are reflective and if something doesn't work quite right they want to know how to do it better next time.
"They are also great team players and care about the social justice aspect of the job. We believe everybody has the right to a high quality education and they will help children develop through creativity."
If this sounds like you, and you are considering a career in teaching then it's not too late to put in an application to enrol for September.
For further information about studying education at Liverpool Hope University click here.


birminghammail--2020-04-24--Drones to start delivering urgent medical supplies during lockdown

Trials of drones delivering vital medical supplies and funding for freight services have been announced in the fight against coronavirus .
Grant Schapps , Secretary of State for Transport , announced the multi-million pound move during the daily coronavirus press conference .
He said the the cash injection will ensure the critical supply of goods into and around the country during the Covid-19 lockdown while thousands of volunteers are on standby to aid frontline services .
In a surprise move , Tte Transport Secretary gave the green light to the use the drones to deliver supplies to hospitals .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week , he said , with medical supplies delivered to a hospital on the Isle of Wight .
Shapps also said there had been a trilateral agreement with the French and Irish governments to ensure goods to move easily and safely by freight .
He spoke of the need to keep “ bringing in life saving medicine and foods and other essential goods . ''
“ He said it was “ important to guarantee these services ” .
Shapps also announced some ferry routes between Britain and northern Ireland would be protected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total of 761 more people have now been confirmed to have died from the virus - meaning the UK death toll has reached 19,500 .
The coronavirus death toll in England has risen to 17,373 as a further 587 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours .
A total of 1,184 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19 , a rise of 64 from 1,120 on Thursday , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said .

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Trials of drones delivering vital medical supplies and funding for freight services have been announced in the fight against coronavirus.
Grant Schapps, Secretary of State for Transport, announced the multi-million pound move during the daily coronavirus press conference.
He said the the cash injection will ensure the critical supply of goods into and around the country during the Covid-19 lockdown while thousands of volunteers are on standby to aid frontline services.
In a surprise move, Tte Transport Secretary gave the green light to the use the drones to deliver supplies to hospitals.
A “fast track” trial will begin next week, he said, with medical supplies delivered to a hospital on the Isle of Wight.
(Image: Getty Images)
Shapps also said there had been a trilateral agreement with the French and Irish governments to ensure goods to move easily and safely by freight.
He spoke of the need to keep “bringing in life saving medicine and foods and other essential goods."
“He said it was “important to guarantee these services”.
Shapps also announced some ferry routes between Britain and northern Ireland would be protected with funding of £17 million.
A total of 761 more people have now been confirmed to have died from the virus - meaning the UK death toll has reached 19,500.
The coronavirus death toll in England has risen to 17,373 as a further 587 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.
A total of 1,184 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, a rise of 64 from 1,120 on Thursday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.


birminghammail--2020-04-24--The fascinating story of Wesley's recovery in Brazil

Aston Villa 's crocked striker Wesley has revealed how the man who ruined his season - Ben Mee - sent him a get-well text message .
It was Burnley defender Mee who hacked at Villa 's Brazilian during their Premier League meeting on January 1 .
The scissor challenge by the centre-back resulted in Wesley tearing his right knee ligament which would keep him out for at least six months .
`` He did text me , '' Wesley told globo.com , `` but I never actually received it !
I had changed the number and could n't see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our goalkeeper ( Tom Heaton ) , it seems that they played together , and apologised .
`` I did n't even want to know the severity ( of the injury ) .
I was having a good time , scoring goals , I did n't want to know at that time .
`` The doctor explained to me that I broke my ligaments .
I kept crying every day , worried , I would even play ball again .
But my family supported me . ''
After an operation , the striker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could fly home for recovery , which is something Smith said was vital .
`` I 'm really pleased he was able to get across to Brazil , '' explained Villa 's head coach , `` because he had a couple of complications after the operation .
`` He could n't travel for a while because we 'd normally want them to go and be around their loved ones for a period straight away after the operation but it took a while .
`` I think he had to wait about eight weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's back with his loved ones and he 's working with a physio who is in touch with our medical department daily .
`` He 's following a really good routine and it 's nice to see him back walking and in the pool working and giving him that time to go and recover and heal . ''
Wesley , who scored six goals prior to that devastating injury , has been working hard alongside hired physio Cristiano Dávila back home in Juiz de Fora since March .
`` The evolution is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can not talk about a deadline for return , which depends on many other factors , including one that we were not predicting , which is the coronavirus pandemic .
But the prognosis is very good . ''
Wesley is expected to start intense running exercises from next week as he bids a return to Premier League action ahead of schedule .
The 23-year-old is , though , currently de-registered from the Premier League as it stands after Smith withdrew him due to injury .
Back to Wesley 's recovery in Juiz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours a day , six days a week doing therapy on his right knee .
During downtime , Villa 's £22m summer signing is at home with his mother , Maria das Graças , and his three brothers : Leandro , Leonardo and Sílvia , in addition to his girlfriend , Izadora .
`` Things are much better around the family , '' explained Wesley , who 's a big lover of Brazilian barbecues during lockdown .
`` It is priceless to be close to the family and my mother , especially .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the loss of my father , supported me in my dream of playing football .
In this recovery , she is helping me a lot .
When I was in pain , she would support me and say , 'You are going to get over this , get over it . '
And it will be like that . ''
Ahead of his long-awaited return , Wesley added : `` I ca n't wait to play again .
I keep watching the games re-runs .
I saw our match against Arsenal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to play , recover as quickly as possible to bring joy to the Aston Villa fans , who have always supported me , and also to return to the national team , which is the main team . ''

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Aston Villa's crocked striker Wesley has revealed how the man who ruined his season - Ben Mee - sent him a get-well text message.
It was Burnley defender Mee who hacked at Villa's Brazilian during their Premier League meeting on January 1.
The scissor challenge by the centre-back resulted in Wesley tearing his right knee ligament which would keep him out for at least six months.
"He did text me," Wesley told globo.com, "but I never actually received it! I had changed the number and couldn't see the message.
"Only he talked to our goalkeeper (Tom Heaton), it seems that they played together, and apologised.
"I didn't even want to know the severity (of the injury). I was having a good time, scoring goals, I didn't want to know at that time.
"The doctor explained to me that I broke my ligaments. I kept crying every day, worried, I would even play ball again. But my family supported me."
After an operation, the striker had to wait eight weeks before he could fly home for recovery, which is something Smith said was vital.
"I'm really pleased he was able to get across to Brazil," explained Villa's head coach, "because he had a couple of complications after the operation.
"He couldn't travel for a while because we'd normally want them to go and be around their loved ones for a period straight away after the operation but it took a while.
"I think he had to wait about eight weeks before he got out there. He's back with his loved ones and he's working with a physio who is in touch with our medical department daily.
"He's following a really good routine and it's nice to see him back walking and in the pool working and giving him that time to go and recover and heal."
Wesley, who scored six goals prior to that devastating injury, has been working hard alongside hired physio Cristiano Dávila back home in Juiz de Fora since March.
"The evolution is very good," Dávila explained. "We cannot talk about a deadline for return, which depends on many other factors, including one that we were not predicting, which is the coronavirus pandemic. But the prognosis is very good."
Wesley is expected to start intense running exercises this week as he bids a return to Premier League action ahead of schedule. The 23-year-old is, though, currently de-registered from the Premier League as it stands after Smith withdrew him due to injury.
Back to Wesley's recovery in Juiz de Fora, he's spending three hours a day, six days a week doing therapy on his right knee.
During downtime, Villa's £22m summer signing is at home with his mother, Maria das Graças, and his three brothers: Leandro, Leonardo and Sílvia, in addition to his girlfriend, Izadora.
"Things are much better around the family," explained Wesley, who's a big lover of Brazilian barbecues during lockdown. "It is priceless to be close to the family and my mother, especially.
"She always encouraged me a lot after the loss of my father, supported me in my dream of playing football. In this recovery, she is helping me a lot. When I was in pain, she would support me and say, 'You are going to get over this, get over it.' And it will be like that."
Ahead of his long-awaited return, Wesley added: "I can't wait to play again. I keep watching the games re-runs. I saw our match against Arsenal, a 2-2 draw.
"I wanted to play, recover as quickly as possible to bring joy to the Aston Villa fans, who have always supported me, and also to return to the national team, which is the main team."


birminghammail--2020-04-24--300 ill patients refused ambulance rides over coronavirus fears

More than 300 patients with severe illnesses refused to be taken to hospital by ambulance because of fears over coronavirus , a health chief has said .
Toby Lewis , chief executive of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said it was important not to give people with acute conditions the sense it is `` more risky '' to go to hospital than to stay at home .
He was speaking at the weekly West Midlands Combined Authority briefing alongside other local authority , police and health service chiefs .
The cases related to patients visited by West Midlands Ambulance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new service with the ambulance service will be put in place next week to make sure a follow-up is made as well as a study for those patients .
Hospitals are now “ much clearer ” about how to manage infection in hospitals than they were at the beginning of the crisis and if there ever was any cause for fear that has “ dissipated ” , he said .
Mr Lewis said : “ The first message that the NHS needs to make clearer than we have so far is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are open for people who do not think they have Covid-19 but they may be concerned about a stroke , a heart attack or sickle cell pain .
“ Over 300 patients in the last little while who were asked by an ambulance crew to go to hospital and who declined to be transported .
“ Now we are following up each of those individuals to make sure they are being looked after .
“ But it ’ s really important that in the messaging about social distancing and staying at home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is more risky to go to hospital than it is to nurture your condition and become progressively more unwell .
“ Clearly conveying someone to hospital if they have competency is a matter of consent .
I ’ m talking about a range of acute and severe conditions where individuals declined to be conveyed .
“ There were some less serious conditions in there but we are talking about situations where a clinician walked away concerned about the ongoing care of the patient .
“ People fearful of getting healthcare treatment are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversation .
“ People with acute conditions need to seek health treatment.
” Mr Lewis ’ comments follow the news Birmingham City Councillor Mohammed Aikhlaq MBE was too scared to call 999 because two close friends with the illness had died after being admitted .
The 60-year-old father-of-two , who has heart problems , diabetes and high blood pressure , became ill with a sore throat and coughing after returning to Birmingham following a four-week trip to Pakistan .
His symptoms became worse over the following days and he went on to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay in isolation but to call 999 if it got worse - but said he did not want to go to hospital .
He said at one point he was on the verge of calling his daughter to say goodbye but after a month of isolation he has made a slow recovery .

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More than 300 patients with severe illnesses refused to be taken to hospital by ambulance because of fears over coronavirus, a health chief has said.
Toby Lewis, chief executive of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said it was important not to give people with acute conditions the sense it is "more risky" to go to hospital than to stay at home.
He was speaking at the weekly West Midlands Combined Authority briefing alongside other local authority, police and health service chiefs.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
The cases related to patients visited by West Midlands Ambulance Service in early April.
He added a new service with the ambulance service will be put in place next week to make sure a follow-up is made as well as a study for those patients.
Hospitals are now “much clearer” about how to manage infection in hospitals than they were at the beginning of the crisis and if there ever was any cause for fear that has “dissipated”, he said.
(Image: Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust)
Mr Lewis said: “The first message that the NHS needs to make clearer than we have so far is that the NHS is open, and we are open for people who do not think they have Covid-19 but they may be concerned about a stroke, a heart attack or sickle cell pain.
“Over 300 patients in the last little while who were asked by an ambulance crew to go to hospital and who declined to be transported.
“Now we are following up each of those individuals to make sure they are being looked after.
“But it’s really important that in the messaging about social distancing and staying at home, we do not create a sense that it is more risky to go to hospital than it is to nurture your condition and become progressively more unwell.
“Clearly conveying someone to hospital if they have competency is a matter of consent. I’m talking about a range of acute and severe conditions where individuals declined to be conveyed.
“There were some less serious conditions in there but we are talking about situations where a clinician walked away concerned about the ongoing care of the patient.
“People fearful of getting healthcare treatment are now a really important part of this conversation.
“People with acute conditions need to seek health treatment.”
Mr Lewis’ comments follow the news Birmingham City Councillor Mohammed Aikhlaq MBE was too scared to call 999 because two close friends with the illness had died after being admitted.
The 60-year-old father-of-two, who has heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure, became ill with a sore throat and coughing after returning to Birmingham following a four-week trip to Pakistan.
His symptoms became worse over the following days and he went on to develop breathing problems.
He was advised to stay in isolation but to call 999 if it got worse - but said he did not want to go to hospital.
He said at one point he was on the verge of calling his daughter to say goodbye but after a month of isolation he has made a slow recovery.


birminghammail--2020-04-25--Lockdown bonfires could land you with £5k fine, council warns

Residents lighting bonfires during the coronavirus lockdown could be handed a £5,000 fine , Birmingham City Council has warned .
The council urged against burning garden waste as new research showed air pollution would make Covid-19 symptoms even more severe for anyone suffering .
Environmental Health teams have seen complaints rocket through the crisis , with residents setting fire to the rubbish they are struggling to dispose of .
Anyone causing a nuisance to neighbours during the pandemic would be investigated and could face a fine of up to £5,000 .
Birmingham City Council said : `` Environmental Health Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` While it is tempting , please don ’ t start bonfires .
Be considerate - your neighbours may need to use their gardens to get fresh air during lockdown and you could be fined up to £5,000 . ''
Solihull Council added that while one bonfire is unlikely to meet the criteria of a statutory nuisance , householders having regular bonfires likely to cause such a nuisance will be investigated .
They also warned bonfires could get out of control , placing added pressure on the already-stretched emergency services .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the following very limited purposes : • shopping for basic necessities , as infrequently as possible • one form of exercise a day - for example a run , walk , or cycle - alone or with members of your household ; • any medical need , to provide care or to help a vulnerable person ; and • travelling to and from work , but only where this is absolutely necessary and can not be done from home .
These are the only reasons you should leave your home .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your friends ask you to meet , you should say No .
You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home .
You should not be going shopping except for essentials like food and medicine — and you should do this as little as you can .
And use food delivery services where you can .
If you don ’ t follow the rules the police will have the powers to enforce them , including through fines and dispersing gatherings .
West Midlands Fire Service also echoed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The service said : `` If you have a garden , please think twice about having a bonfire at the moment .
Be considerate of neighbours - especially those who are ill - and always keep fire safety in mind . ''
While there is no legislation prohibiting garden bonfires , the councils are discouraging such fires and have implemented strict guidelines .
The council guidelines were as follows : • Do not light a bonfire before 8pm and extinguish it by 10pm • Do not light a bonfire if a neighbour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the garden • Do not light a bonfire if there is washing on a neighbours ’ line • Do not light a bonfire if neighbours ' windows are left open • Do not light a bonfire if the weather is wet , windy or misty .
• Do not burn household waste , plastics , rubber or any other material , which could cause dark smoke or harmful combustion products • Do not allow smoke to blow across a road • Remember to build it as far away from neighbours ' properties as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other combustible materials which might catch fire accidentally .
• Ensure you attend the fires at all times and have plenty of water ready .

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Residents lighting bonfires during the coronavirus lockdown could be handed a £5,000 fine, Birmingham City Council has warned.
The council urged against burning garden waste as new research showed air pollution would make Covid-19 symptoms even more severe for anyone suffering.
Environmental Health teams have seen complaints rocket through the crisis, with residents setting fire to the rubbish they are struggling to dispose of.
Anyone causing a nuisance to neighbours during the pandemic would be investigated and could face a fine of up to £5,000.
(Image: David Irwin)
Birmingham City Council said: "Environmental Health Birmingham is receiving many complaints about garden bonfires.
"While it is tempting, please don’t start bonfires. Be considerate - your neighbours may need to use their gardens to get fresh air during lockdown and you could be fined up to £5,000."
Solihull Council added that while one bonfire is unlikely to meet the criteria of a statutory nuisance, householders having regular bonfires likely to cause such a nuisance will be investigated.
They also warned bonfires could get out of control, placing added pressure on the already-stretched emergency services.
Latest Government advice as coronavirus pandemic sparks lockdown People are only allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes: shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
one form of exercise a day - for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household;
any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person; and
travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home. These are the only reasons you should leave your home. You should not be meeting friends. If your friends ask you to meet, you should say No. You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home. You should not be going shopping except for essentials like food and medicine — and you should do this as little as you can. And use food delivery services where you can. If you don’t follow the rules the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
West Midlands Fire Service also echoed the calls to avoid bonfires during the lockdown.
The service said: "If you have a garden, please think twice about having a bonfire at the moment. Be considerate of neighbours - especially those who are ill - and always keep fire safety in mind."
While there is no legislation prohibiting garden bonfires, the councils are discouraging such fires and have implemented strict guidelines.
The council guidelines were as follows:
Do not light a bonfire before 8pm and extinguish it by 10pm
Do not light a bonfire if a neighbour is using or is likely to use the garden
Do not light a bonfire if there is washing on a neighbours’ line
Do not light a bonfire if neighbours' windows are left open
Do not light a bonfire if the weather is wet, windy or misty.
Do not burn wet material