Peter McParland, Aston Villa Legend, Dies Aged 91

Peter McParland, the former Aston Villa and Northern Ireland forward, has died at the age of 91. McParland was celebrated for scoring both goals in Aston Villa's 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the 1957 FA Cup final and remains the last surviving member of that cup-winning team. He also became the first footballer to score in the finals of both major English cup competitions, netting the decisive goal in the 1961 League Cup final. Internationally, McParland holds the record for most goals by a Northern Irish player in World Cup finals, with five goals during the 1958 tournament as Northern Ireland reached the quarter-finals. Over his club career, he scored 121 goals in 341 appearances for Aston Villa and later played for several clubs in the UK, Canada, and the US. Tributes from Aston Villa and the Irish FA highlighted his significant contributions to both club and country.