In the Argyle match-day programme, we continue to explore the former Greens that enjoyed their biggest moments away from the club.
In Saturday's edition, we shine the spotlight on ex-Green Peter McParland, who passed away last year.
Peter was only with Argyle for a year, but went down in Aston Villa folklore, scoring crucial goals in two major cup finals.
The full feature will be available to read in the match-day programme, available around Home Park for £3.50, but for now, enjoy this snippet.
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By 1957, no club had won the FA Cup more times than Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, who had each won six. However, Villa’s sixth came in 1920. Going into the 1956/57 season, it had been well over three decades since Villa had lifted what was still considered football’s biggest prize.
That season, Manchester United strolled to the First Division title, and Matt Busby’s Red Devils also made the cup final, looking to do the Double. At that point, it had only been done twice: once by Preston North End in 1888/89, and once, coincidentally, by Villa, in 1896/97.
Sixty years on, it was Villa standing in the way of United emulating them. McParland would take ‘standing in the way’ very literally.
Only a few minutes into the game he took a shot, saved by United goalkeeper Ray Wood. McParland followed up, and clattered into Wood, with both men going down. Wood was stretchered off, being knocked out, and suffering a fractured cheekbone.
McParland was not censured for his transgression. Referee Frank Coultas explained: “It was not a malicious foul. McParland did not try to harm Wood. He was just a bit too robust, as they call it, just a bit too enthusiastic in playing the traditional British game of getting stuck in.”
Manchester United put half-back Jackie Blanchflower in goal – there were no subs in those days – and incredibly Wood later returned and played the final ten minutes or so of the game.
Midway through the second half, McParland powered a superb header past Blanchflower, his Northern Ireland international colleague, and into the net to make it 1-0. Five minutes later, it was two, McParland there again, this time firing home after a Bill Myerscough effort hit the frame of the goal.
Tommy Taylor got one back for United, but it was not enough. Villa had their seventh FA Cup win, a record at the time. They have not won one since.
Four seasons later, a new cup was introduced into the English game. The League Cup, what has now morphed into the Carabao Cup, had its first staging in 1960/61. Second division Rotherham United made it to the final to play Villa, with the final taking place over two legs.
Villa received a bye in the first round, but had a storied run to the final. They beat Huddersfield, then needed a replay to get past Preston. Villa draw Argyle in round four, with the first game finishing 3-3, a replay ending 0-0, and a second replay finishing 5-3 to Villa.
The Villans beat Wrexham in the quarters, then took three games to get past Burnley in the semi-finals, to book a date with Rotherham, whose progress had been comparatively serene.
Rotherham remarkably won the first game 2-0, but in the second leg, at Villa Park, the Midlands side also won 2-0 in 90 minutes, sending the tie to extra time. In the 109th minute, there was McParland, grabbing the winner, and etching himself even deeper into Villa lore.
Peter died in 2025, aged 92. He was the last surviving player from the 1957 FA Cup final, and is considered one of Villa’s all-time greats.
