McParland- Villa can spring a shock

The 81-year-old scored twice in Villa's last FA Cup win 58 years ago when they beat Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley.

Faced with the Busby Babes Villa were underdogs but McParland said they believed they would win after trainer Moore, who aided boss Eric Houghton, outlined their plans for a post-victory photo opportunity.

Villa play Arsenal in the final at Wembley on Saturday and McParland, the last player to score for the club in the FA Cup final, senses a similar situation to 1957.

"Arsenal are going to be hot favourites and then Manchester United were hot favourites," he said.

"It's about Villa showing they can do things against Arsenal.

"We were the same

We had the last team talk in the hotel and our trainer Bill Moore, who was way before his time, nominated two players - Stan Lynn and Peter Aldis - to get the captain (Johnny Dixon) on their shoulders with the Cup.

"That was a tradition then, the skipper being lifted up, and if you see the pictures Bill is in front with a big smile on his face so he had all that planned.

"He knew where he was going to be too

He got down the front and he has a terrific smile on his face.

"That was a psychological boost for us

We were confident and there was a spirit in the team that we could do this."

McParland, who played for Villa between 1952 and 1962, had a crucial role at Wembley that day, scoring twice after a crunching collision with United goalkeeper Ray Wood after just six minutes.

He recalled with impressive accuracy: "Jackie Sewell was on the corner of the area and played a beautiful ball in and I directed it straight into Ray Wood's hands.

"We both kept running and fortunately Ray pulled away at the last minute.

"The side of my head hit him in the cheekbone

When I went down on the deck half of the 100,000 people were booing

I recovered and Ray had a cracked cheekbone and came back to play on the wing - and caused a few problems!"

McParland, who also played for Wolves and Plymouth, recovered well enough to grab a five-minute brace in the 68th and 73rd minute to win the trophy for Villa, despite Tommy Taylor's consolation.

"For the first I nipped in front of Duncan Edwards and Bill Foulkes and hammered it with my head - I really hammered it," said McParland, speaking on behalf of William Hill, Official Supporter of the FA Cup.

"The second I headed the ball back to Johnny Dixon on the penalty spot and he hit the bar, it went into the air and I was able to move to the six yard line and caught it on the volley.

"I beat Billy Myerscough, our centre forward, to the ball and when I'd made contact Billy kicked the back of my thigh, had he hit me seconds earlier he would have put me off and I would have hit it into the stand."

As a striker, McParland admires Christian Benteke, who he believes is key to Villa's hopes.

Benteke has scored 12 goals in his last 12 games, including the equaliser in Villa's 2-1 semi-final win over Liverpool in April.

He will lead the line again against Arsenal and McParland credited boss Tim Sherwood with his revival.

"He is looking the real part now," he said

"Since Sherwood took over, he has changed the whole outlook of the team from being dour and negative - I don't know what Paul (Lambert) was thinking about

Tim has come in and said 'right, we're going to have a go at people, we're not going to sit back'

They can win."

:: Aston Villa are 5/2 to win the FA Cup with Arsenal 2/7, for the latest odds go to williamhill.com

Source : PA

Source: PA