Howard Spencer was one of Aston Villa's all-time greatest players.

An incredibly gifted player, he was known as the 'Prince of Full-Backs' during his hugely successful time at the club and was renowned for his sportsmanship.

While at Villa Spencer earned four League Championships in 1896, 1897, 1899 and 1900 as well as three FA Cup

FA Cup

The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 finals and captained the side to its 1905 victory over Newcastle United. Spencer was a key member of the Aston Villa side that won The Double

The Double

The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...

 in 1896/97. Conversely he was also in the Villa side that suffered a humiliating F A cup defeat by Millwall Athletic

Millwall F.C.

Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...

 in 1900.

He continued to serve the club after his playing days were over as a director, from 1909 until 1936. In all his association with Aston Villa lasted 42 years.

He was capped 6 times by England

England national football team

The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...

, which many felt was paltry reward for a player of his quality.

Aston Villa Record:

• 295 Apps
• 2 Goals.