Aston Villa great Andy Lochhead dies aged 81
Former Villa striker Andy Lochhead has died at the age of 81.
A powerful centre-forward, known for his prowess in the air, he played for Villa in the early 1970s with the tough Scot having joined the club at their lowest ebb after their relegation to the Third Division.
Lochhead ended his first season at Villa as top scorer with 13 goals but Villa fell short of promotion, finishing fourth.
However, they surprised everyone by reaching the final of the League Cup, losing 2-0 to Tottenham in the final at Wembley.
Lochhead’s fearless heading ability made him a firm favourite with Villa fans and the following season, his goals fired them to promotion as they won the Third Division title.
In that season he made 53 appearances, and scored 25 goals in all competitions – again making him top scorer, and seeing him voted Midlands footballer of the year. He left Villa in 1973 having made 154 appearances, scoring 44 goals.
In a club statement, Villa said: “Aston Villa is saddened to learn of the passing of former striker Andy Lochhead, who has died at the age of 81.
“The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Andy’s family and friends. “We will wear black armbands at Villa Park (today) in his memory. Rest in peace, Andy.”
Lochhead was also a club legend at Burnley where he began his career, scoring 101 goals in 226 games.
