Villa have had some great players over the years and some of them have been the traditional tough cookie sort of player.

The Claret and Blues have spent most their last decade or so in the Premier League, and with that comes the tendency to recruit tough players.

Sadly Villa were relegated in 2015/16, but the desire to have a leader sort of figure in the team remains.

Villa Park is a lively crowd, and a tough defender that is likely to throw himself into tackles gets the crowd roaring.

Here, we look at the four toughest players to play for the Villains over the years.

Do you agree, or can you think of tougher players? Let us know in the comments below.

John Terry is very recent but is the one who springs to mind first. ‘JT’ is one of the last bastions of the art of traditional defending.

The ex-Chelsea legend was never afraid to stick a foot in or put himself in a dangerous situation for the better of his side.

Going back deep into the archives, Villa fans will be told the tale of defender Frank Barson, who many cite as Villa’s most menacing player.

He had a fiery temperament and on one occasion he had to be smuggled out of a ground to avoid confrontation.

Olof Mellberg was one of a kind, and a true Villa legend.

The Swede made 230 plus appearances for the club and truly cemented himself as an iconic figure at Villa Park, with his heroic displays.

Steve McMahon was feared by many, and was central to one of the most fierce local derbies with the Blues before moving on to Liverpool.

He was recognized by opposition as the man to thwart successes of rival teams.