Peter and Johnny were city foe's Wembley stars

MIDLAND TV LEGEND LIFTS THE LID ON 6 DECADES OF SPORTING ENCOUNTERS

- GARY NEWBON

ASTON Villa 1957 FA Cup final hero Peter McParland had been the last surviving member of the club's team that last won that trophy until he died last Sunday at the age of 91.

Johnny Newman, also now 91 years old, is the only living member of the Birmingham City team that were the beaten finalists in the 1956 FA Cup final.

I met McParland several times when he returned to the Midlands and was always greeted with his trademark smile. He always loved the club.

I knew Newman much better. First from my days in 1968 at Westward TV when he was centre-half and then manager for one of the local clubs - Exeter City.

I then renewed my friendship; with him when he was manager of Derby County and afterwards in his home town club Hereford United. He was born there on December 13 1933.

McParland was born in Newry, Northern Ireland, on April 25 1934 and played at outside left, as it was called in his day.

He played for Dundalk in the League of Ireland before being spotted by the Villa.

He was with Villa from 1952 for ten years until 1962, during which he played for Northern Ireland 34 times scoring ten goals.

He scored twice on his debut against Wales in 1953 and was outstanding in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden where he scored five goals to help his country to reach the quarter-finals. Following the death of Billy Bingham in 2022, McParland had also been the last surviving member of that World Cup team.