Dennis Mortimer

Dennis Mortimer

Personal information
Full name	Dennis Mortimer
Date of birth	5 April 1952 (1952-04-05) (age 59)
Place of birth	Liverpool, England
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
	Coventry City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1969–1975	Coventry City	193	(10)
1975–1985	Aston Villa	317	(31)
1985	→ Sheffield United (loan)	7	(0)
1985–1986	Brighton & Hove Albion	40	(2)
1986–1987	Birmingham City	33	(4)
Total		590	(47)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Dennis Mortimer (born 5 April 1952 in Liverpool, England) is an English former footballer and distinguished captain of Aston Villa.

Mortimer began his career with Coventry City, where he came through the ranks and made over 200 appearances as a promising midfielder. It was his accomplished displays for Coventry which attracted the attention of several top clubs, and he joined Villa in 1975. Mortimer captained Villa to the European Cup in 1982. A 1–0 victory against Bayern Munich in the De Kuip Stadium was courtesy of a Peter Withe goal. From 1975 to 1985 he made 403 appearances for Villa scoring 36 goals.

Mortimer was capped by England under-23 and England B but was never capped for the full England team, often described as 'the best player never to get an England cap'.

After leaving Villa, Mortimer moved to Brighton but was only there a year before returning to the Midlands with Birmingham City, thereby breaking the second-city taboo by playing for City and Villa. During the 1988–89 season, Mortimer was player manager of non-league outfit Redditch United before moving into coaching, becoming assistant manager to Ossie Ardiles at West Bromwich Albion.

He worked for The Professional Football Associations as regional director of coaching in the Midlands area and has help to develop many of Englands top young players and coaches. Mortimer has been responsible for the progression of top young English coach Alex Penny. Mortimer is also a director at Wolverhampton Wanderers Women FC. Mortimer regularly attends Aston Villa games to this day and sometimes provides commentary on the club's games with the club's radio station, The Villan. He is regarded as one of Aston Villa's greatest ever players.

Career honours

As a player

Aston Villa

Winner

• 1976/77 Football League Cup
• 1980/81 League Championship
• 1981/82 European Cup

External links

• Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database
• Dennis Mortimer career stats at Soccerbase

Sporting positions
Preceded by Chris Nicholl	Aston Villa F.C. Captain 1977–1984	Succeeded by Allan Evans

Persondata
Name	Mortimer, Dennis
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	5 April 1952
Place of birth	Liverpool, England
Date of death
Place of death