Cowans had three spells with Villa broken by stints with Bari and Blackburn Rovers. Throughout his career using the club he won the very first Division title, the European Cup, European Super Cup, and the League Cup.
After leaving the club for the final amount of time in 1994 he played for Derby, Wolves, Sheffield United, Bradford City, Stockport County and Burnley before retiring in 1997.
Something of the late-bloomer hanging around, Withe had spells in South Africa and the US prior to signing for Nottingham Forest in 1976, where he won the League title. He then spent two seasons at Newcastle United, as well as in 1980 moved to Aston Villa for any club record ?500,000.
It was to prove an inspired signing as Withe and Gary Shaw delivered the goals that drove Villa towards the League title in 1981.
All in all Withe scored 74 goals in 182 appearances for Villa, but his status being an Aston Villa legend is secure thanks to one strike - the winner within the 1982 European Cup final against Bayern Munich.
A free-scoring centre-forward throughout his playing career, Saunders had spells as manager of Yeovil Town, Oxford United, Norwich City and Manchester City before you take over at Aston Villa - then a second division side - in 1974.
In the first season, he guided Villa to promotion as well as won the League Cup. He won the League Cup again in 1977, and in 1981, led Villa to the League title the very first time in 71 years.
In January 1982, with Villa in the quarter-final of the European Cup, Saunders surprisingly resigned as a result of contractual dispute. His assistant Tony Barton took over, and guided the club to European Cup glory four months later.
Subsequent moves to rivals Birmingham City, and West Bromwich Albion don't sully his status as an Aston Villa legend
Villa's European Cup winning captain began his career at Coventry City, where he earned over 200 appearances before moving to Villa Park in 1975. He earned 403 appearances in Villa colours, scoring 39 goals and winning the League title, League Cup and, the crowning moment of his Villa career, the European Cup in 1982.
After leaving Aston Villa, Mortimer moved to Brighton and then blotted his copybook somewhat by joining Birmingham City. Still, he remains an Aston Villa legend and one of the club's greatest ever captains.