Name: Leighton Phillips



Country: Wales
Club: Aston Villa
Position: *SWP, CB, DMF, CMF (Optional)
Side: RF/BS
Age: 25-29 years (25/09/1949)

Height: 178 cm
Weight: 77 kg

Attack: 68
Defence: 82
Balance: 81
Stamina: 84
Top Speed: 77
Acceleration: 76
Response: 81
Agility: 76
Dribble Accuracy: 76
Dribble Speed: 74
Short Pass Accuracy: 78
Short Pass Speed: 76
Long Pass Accuracy: 79
Long Pass Speed: 76
Shot Accuracy: 66
Shot Power: 76
Shot Technique: 64
Free Kick Accuracy: 64
Curling: 68
Header: 79
Jump: 79
Technique: 79
Aggression: 74
Mentality: 81
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 83

Injury Tolerance: B
Condition/Fitness: 7
Weak Foot Accuracy: 5
Weak Foot Frequency: 5
Consistency: 7
Growth type: Standard/Lasting


SPECIAL ABILITIES: 1-Touch Play - Passer - Covering

Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Balanced


INFO:
Born at Britton Ferry, Glamorgan, Phillips joined nearby Cardiff, where he played as sweeper and midfield creator. His talents in both departments were quickly noted and Phillips became one of the men around whom Welsh manager Mike Smith was building a successful side that eventually reached the quarter-finals of the Euro 1976, losing to Yugoslavia. At the same time, his manager at Villa - Ron Saunders, also got full value for the £100,000 paid to Cardiff City in September 1974. In his first season with the squad, Phillips and Villa won promotion to 1st Division and won the 1975 League Cup (in which he didn't play). He also won the League Cup in 1977 with the burgundy-blue team and was promoted to team captain.

The Wales international was a very versatile footballer, playing in eight different positions during the course of his 18-year career, and his uncanny reading of the game was beyond question. In the early stages of his career, Phillips was used in positions all over the pitch, including playing as a striker and midfielder, before settling in defence as a sweeper. Phillips would often take the ball from deep and launch a long ball to find Andy Gray or just toss it to Brian Little or Frank Carrodus to open up the game up front.

Phillips played 58 matches for the Welsh national team. His full international debut came in 1971 against Czechoslovakia in Prague, and he kept his place for the next 10 years in the national team.