Player #492
Appearances:
660
Starts:
656
Goals:
16
Seasons:
18
Source: Villa News & Record
Source: Villa News & Record
Charlie Aitken
🏴
Position:
Left Back
From:
1960-61
To:
1977-78
Charlie Aitken
Seasons Quick-View
Season
Age*
1960-61 | 1961-62 | 1962-63 | 1963-64 | 1964-65 | 1965-66 | 1966-67 | 1967-68 | 1968-69 | 1969-70 | 1970-71 | 1971-72 | 1972-73 | 1973-74 | 1974-75 | 1975-76 | 1976-77 | 1977-78 |
18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 |
Division
D1 | D1 | D1 | D1 | D1 | D1 | D1 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D3 | D3 | D2 | D2 | D2 | D1 | D1 | D1 |
Appearances
660 |
1 | 42 | 53 | 37 | 53 | 48 | 42 | 35 | 47 | 34 | 55 | 50 | 39 | 43 | 55 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
Starts
Substitute
656 |
1 | 42 | 53 | 37 | 53 | 48 | 42 | 33 | 47 | 34 | 55 | 49 | 39 | 43 | 55 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
4 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Unused
4 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Goals
16 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Games per Goal
41.25 |
*Age on opening day of the season
FAC: FA Cup; FL: Football League; D1: Division 1; D2: Division 2; D3: Division 3; PL: Premier League; CH: Championship
Goalkeeping Statistics
Season
1960-61 | 1961-62 | 1962-63 | 1963-64 | 1964-65 | 1965-66 | 1966-67 | 1967-68 | 1968-69 | 1969-70 | 1970-71 | 1971-72 | 1972-73 | 1973-74 | 1974-75 | 1975-76 | 1976-77 | 1977-78 |
Conceded
0 |
per Game
0 |
Clean Sheets
0 |
%
0 |
Charles Alexander Aitken
Birth Date
Friday, 1 May 1942
Birth Place
Edinburgh, Midolthian
Birth Country
Scotland
Villa Youth
n/a
Transfer in
From
Edinburgh Thistle
For
Free
On
August 1959
Under
Joe Mercer
Previous Clubs
Gorebridge Juniors |
Edinburgh Thistle |
Loans Out
None
Transfer Out
To
New York Cosmos
For
Free
On
December 1977
Under
Ron Saunders
Subsequent Clubs
1976-77 New York Cosmos, NASL |
Career Status
Villa Career
Player # | Seasons Active. Fee, Appearances | Starts (Sub) | Goals |
#492 | 1961-76 Free, 660 | 656 (4) | 14 |
Appearances
Goals
Played Under
Joe Mercer
Dick Taylor
Tommy Cummings
Tommy Docherty
Vic Crowe
Ron Saunders
First Squad Appearance
Saturday, 29 April 1961
Debut Appearance
Saturday, 29 April 1961
Sheffield Wednesday (h), Division One
First Goal
Saturday, 7 March 1964
Final Appearance
Saturday, 31 January 1976
Queens Park Rangers (h), Division One
Final Squad Appearance
Saturday, 31 January 1976
Honours
1971-72 Third Division Champions |
1974-75 League Cup Winners |
Height
Foot
International Record
Years Active | International Caps | Goals |
Not selected
Died
29 October 2023
Charlie Aitken
Source: Villa News & Record
Source: Villa News & Record
Player #492 for Aston Villa, Charles Alexander Aitken, known as Charlie Aitken, played as a left back for the club.
Charlie played for Villa between 1960-61 and 1975-76 making 660 appearances and scoring 16 goals.
Charlie was born in Edinburgh on 1 May 1942 and made his debut appearance for Villa on Saturday, 29 April 1961 aged 19.
Villa had signed Charlie from Edinburgh Thistle on 1 August 1959
Charlie played for Villa for 17 seasons, represented the club in three divisions and played in Villa’s first ever European fixture.
Curiously Charlie’s debut came in the same match that Villa great Johnny Dixon made his final appearance for the club. Incredibly Charlie hardly ever missed a game for Villa - only once playing less than 30 games for the club and that was in his final season.
In total Charlie was an ever present in five campaigns and helped Villa to win the 1975 League Cup, be crowned champions of the Third Division in 1972-73 and secure promotion back to the top flight in 1974-75.
Charlie eclipsed previous record holder Billy Walker’s appearance record in December 1973 before playing his final game for Villa on Saturday, 31 January 1976.
Charlie played under Villa managers Joe Mercer, Dick Taylor, Tommy Cummings, Tommy Docherty, Vic Crowe and Ron Saunders.