1916: Ivor Powell born in Bargoed. He first turned professional with Queens Park Rangers in 1937 and remained with the club throughout the war. He joined Villa in December 1948 and went onto make 79 League appearances. He played for Port Vale and Bradford City after leaving Villa in the summer of 1951.

1993: Gordon Cowans returned to Villa on a free-transfer from Blackburn Rovers - beginning his third spell with the club.

1995: Mark Draper signed for Aston Villa in a £3.25 million deal with Leicester City. Villa manager Brian Little had tried to sign the player before the transfer deadline day for a fee of £3 million, but that bid had been turned down by the Filbert Street club. The extra three months wait to get their man cost the club an additional £250,000.

Random Villa Fact

Eighteen-year-old Arthur Sabin became the youngest goalkeeper to appear in Villa's league side when he deputised for Nigel Sims against Sheffield Wednesday at Villa Park in April 1957. Apart from Sabin, the Villa line-up was exactly the one which won the FA Cup final against Manchester United three weeks later. It was a great debut as Villa won 5-0. Tragically, Sabin died from a kidney infection less than 11 months later.