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Aston Villa’s starting XI against Manchester United on Sunday was their oldest since February 2012. But were their latest oldies as golden as the elderly side, which turned out 14 years ago?
From the 'Scottish Cafu' to 'King Carlos' - here’s a look back to that 2012 side that played against Manchester City. There are some very memorable names in this line-up.
Shay Given
Given was in goal that day against his former side, City, one of his 53 appearances for Villa.
Most notably playing every FA Cup game in the club’s run to the final in 2015, he had a crucial role in the 2-1 semi-final win over Liverpool. Given now works as a respected media analyst and pundit.
Alan Hutton
A man labelled by the Villa faithful as the “Scottish Cafu”, Hutton played most of his career at Villa Park, making a total of 202 appearances.
Probably one of his most famous moments for Villa is his infamous goal against Birmingham City in the Championship in November 2018, when he ran from his own half to score in the derby.
Hutton now appears on TV from time-to-time as a pundit on Villa games, as well as enjoying retirement with his family.
Alan Hutton of Aston Villa celebrates
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James Collins
The Welshman loved playing in claret and blue, most notably for West Ham United, but also for Villa, as he made 108 appearances for the club.
Collins scored six times from centre-half, with his most memorable one coming against Chelsea in October 2009, where he also won man of the match. The former Hammer now co-hosts the official West Ham podcast “Ironcast”.
Richard Dunne
A man whose stint at Villa was marred after a bust-up with club legend Gordon Cowans in 2011, Dunne made 111 appearances for the club.
The centre-back joined Villa from Manchester City in 2009 and went on to score against his former side just months later in October 2009 in a 1-1 draw.
The Irishman now provides analysis for TNT Sports and Virgin Media, covering the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.
Carlos Cuellar
Carlos Cuellar
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Carlos Cuellar
Known affectionately as “King Carlos” by fans, the Spaniard made 121 appearances for Villa, where he was highly regarded for his ability to fill in at both right-back and left-back.
Cuellar was a very reliable player and put up a near faultless display in his first Second City derby against Birmingham City – a rare Premier League meeting between the sides - in September 2009, which he described as the best performance of his Villa career.
Cuellar is now the head coach of Spanish fourth-tier club Elche Ilicitano, after attaining his UEFA Pro Licence qualification.
Gary Gardner
An Aston Villa academy graduate and boyhood fan, Gardner only made 46 appearances for the club, with various loan stints out before making the controversial move to rivals Birmingham City in 2018.
But Gardner’s most memorable moment in claret and blue was a notable one, as he scored for Villa against Birmingham in a 1-1 Championship draw at St Andrew’s in October 2016.
The former Villa midfielder has been a free agent since July 2025, when he left Cambridge United after failing to make a single appearance in a full year at the club.
Stiliyan Petrov in action for Aston Villa
Stiliyan Petrov in action for Aston Villa
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Stiliyan Petrov
Petrov’s biggest win came in 2013 after beating cancer. The former Villa captain was diagnosed in March 2012 with acute leukaemia, which led to his retirement from football.
During his time in claret and blue, Petrov made 219 appearances, including leading his team out at Wembley in the 2010 League Cup final.
He also scored a long-range wonder goal against Derby County in 2008, which will live on in the memory of every Villa fan as one of his best moments for the club.
Following his successful treatment, Petrov now works as a director for the “Player4Player” foundation, whilst also working as a broadcaster and pundit.
Marc Albrighton
An academy youth product who went on to do the unthinkable with Leicester City after leaving Villa in 2014, Albrighton made 102 appearances in his six-year stint in claret and blue.
Albrighton was responsible for scoring the 20,000th goal in Premier League history whilst at Villa, against Arsenal in a 2-1 defeat in 2011.
The winger was presented with a £20,000 cheque by the Premier League, which he then donated to the Acorns children’s hospice.
Albrighton has now returned to his boyhood club, working as a part-time coach for Villa’s academy.
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Robbie Keane
Keane joined Villa on a brief loan from LA Galaxy, as the Irishman looked to maintain his form and fitness, due to the MLS season not restarting until March.
Keane wanted to keep playing football ahead of the 2012 Euro tournament and made just seven appearances for Villa before rejoining the American side in late February.
He contributed to four goals in his seven appearances, quickly marking his name in the club’s history with a brace against local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Keane is currently the manager of Hungarian side Ferencvaros, who are competing in this season’s UEFA Europa League.
Emile Heskey
A player who played for both sides of the city, for both Birmingham and Villa, Heskey joined in 2008 and made 110 appearances for the club.
It was a disappointing stint for the striker, who scored just 14 goals in three years before leaving in 2012 for Australian side Newcastle Jets.
Heskey now pops up on TV from time-to-time as a pundit, whilst also being the director of The Football Safety App, which tackles abuse in the game.
Aston Villa's Darren Bent celebrates scoring against West Bromwich Albion in September 2012
Aston Villa's Darren Bent celebrates scoring against West Bromwich Albion in September 2012
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Darren Bent
Former club-record signing Bent made a total of 72 appearances after joining from Sunderland in 2011.
Bent was a promising signing after scoring 24 goals for Sunderland the season prior to joining Villa, but didn’t quite live up to his price tag.
The striker only spent two and a half seasons at the club before leaving in 2013 for Fulham.
Bent’s most notable moment in claret and blue was his debut goal for the side against Manchester City, in a 1-0 Premier League win at Villa Park.
The former striker is now a radio presenter for talkSPORT.