Played For Both Aston Villa And Wolves – 15 Best Players
3. Andy Gray
Aston Villa – 167
Wolves – 162
The Scottish striker bagged 54 goals in 113 games in his first spell at Villa and achieved legendary status which saw him win the PFA player of the year and young player of the year in the same season. His British record transfer to Molineux almost caused a riot at Villa and tarnished his status among the claret and blue faithful. Gray went on to play 162 times for Wolves, bagging 45 goals – including the winner in the 1980 League Cup final.
He did return to Aston Villa via Everton in 1985. Despite starting the decade on a high as league champions in 1981 and European Cup winners in 1982, Villa had now declined to mid-table mediocrity and the return of Gray was unable to turn things around as his arrival at Everton had done.
He scored five goals from 35 league games in 1985–86 as Villa narrowly avoided relegation to the Second Division, and the following season he failed to score a single goal from 19 league games as Villa fell into the Second Division. He began the 1987–88 season still with Villa but was transferred to their local rivals West Bromwich Albion in September 1987 having not featured in a first-team game for Villa that season.
2. Derek Dougan
Aston Villa – 60
Wolves – 323
Signed by great Villa boss Joe Mercer in 1961, Dougan was brought in from Blackburn Rovers for £15,000 to replace legendary Villan Gerry Hitchens, who had been sold to Inter Milan. One of the best players to have played for both Aston Villa and Wolves, Dougan, went on to score 26 goals in 60 games but his time was marred by a car accident which left the striker injured but caused the death of a friend.
The legend of ‘The Doog’ was truly born at Wolves, who he joined in 1967. Then in Division Two, Dougan marked his home debut with a hat-trick against Hull City and helped the club to secure promotion to the First Division that season. He went on to score 123 goals in 323 appearances.
1. Peter Broadbent
Wolves – 497
Aston Villa – 68
To many, still, the greatest player ever to pull on the gold and black shirt. The Dover-born inside-right banged in 145 goals in 497 league and cup games for Wolves. Cited by no lesser authorities George Best and Sir Alex Ferguson as their favourite childhood player, Broadbent spent 14 years at Molineux.
He spent a year at Shrewsbury before joining Villa in 1966. The claret and blues were relegated in his first season. Broadbent played 68 times for Villa over three seasons, scoring twice. He is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest players to have played for both Aston Villa and Wolves.
Checkout: 10 Greatest Aston Villa Players Ever
Checkout: 10 Greatest Wolves Players Ever