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Players who played for both Aston Villa and West Ham
6 famous players have played for both Aston Villa and West Ham, including Robbie Keane, Joe Cole, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Stewart Downing. 4 of them played for Aston Villa first; 2 started at West Ham.
Did you know?
- David JamesEarliest on this list to play for both: Aston Villa (1999–2001), then West Ham from 2001.
- Joe ColeLatest on this list: West Ham first, then Aston Villa from 2014.
- Joe ColeMost separate spells: 3 across the two clubs (Aston Villa 2014–2016; West Ham 1998–2003, 2013–2014).
All 6 players, most famous first
- Aston Villa
- 2012
- West Ham
- 2011
- Joe Cole
England · Midfielder · born 1981- Aston Villa
- 2014–2016
- West Ham
- 1998–2003, 2013–2014
- Thomas Hitzlsperger
Germany · Midfielder · born 1982- Aston Villa
- 2000–2005
- West Ham
- 2010–2011
- Stewart DowningEngland · Midfielder · born 1984
- Aston Villa
- 2009–2011
- West Ham
- 2013–2015
- David JamesEngland · Goalkeeper · born 1970
- Aston Villa
- 1999–2001
- West Ham
- 2001–2004
- Aston Villa
- 2007–2011
- West Ham
- 2011–2012
Years are club stints from Wikidata (snapshot 2026-09-28); a loan that runs straight into a transfer is shown as one stint. “from YEAR” means no end year is recorded — it is not a claim about a current club.
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Questions
How many famous players have played for both Aston Villa and West Ham?
6 in our data, including Robbie Keane, Joe Cole, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Stewart Downing. The list covers famous footballers only — players covered by at least 45 language editions of Wikipedia — so it is not every player who ever wore both shirts.
Who was the first player on this list to play for both clubs?
In our data, David James: Aston Villa (1999–2001), then West Ham (2001–2004).
Where does this list come from?
Club careers from Wikidata, the open database behind Wikipedia (public domain, CC0), snapshot 2026-09-28. Senior spells count, loans included when Wikidata records them; youth and reserve teams do not. Found a mistake? Tell us via the About page.