Ever heard the one about the time Aston Villa signed two Zambian superstars in 1969? No, me neither until last night. This is genuinely fascinating (to me anyway) [THREAD] #avfc #utv @AVFCOfficial

Emment Kapengwe and Freddie Mwila were the first Zambians to play in England when they signed for Tommy Docherty’s Villa from Atlanta Chiefs in 1969. This is Freddie

They’d spent the previous two years playing professionally in the United States for Atalanta Chiefs, managed by former Villa striker Phil Woosnam, who had already taken ex-Villa players Vic Crowe, Peter McParland and Ray Bloomfield to play in the NPSL (later NASL)

This wasn’t just a publicity stunt. In 1968 M&K starred for the Chiefs in friendlies against a number of English sides (including the Villa) and Pele’s Santos. Mwila scored three goals in two consecutive defeats of Man City, who had just won the league. This pic is Pele and Mwila

Docherty liked what he saw and K&M signed two-year contracts at VP in August 1969. Kapengwe made his debut against Carlisle and one journalist wrote: "In nearly 30 years of watching football I have never seen a player make such an impact in his first football league appearance.”

Unfortunately it didn’t continue. Mid-way through a poor season, Tommy Docherty was sacked by Deadly Doug Ellis in January 1970, who then appointed Vic Crowe as his new manager. Yes, the same Vic Crowe from Atlanta Chiefs

Kapengwe played just three games in claret and blue and Mwila only one as Villa were relegated to Division 3 for the first time. Both returned to Zambia at the end of the 1969/70 season, nine months after arriving in England. This is Emment

Mwila in particular forged a decent coaching career (helped by a course at Lilleshall in '69). They are still regarded as 2 of Zambia’s best ever players. Presumably they also had a say in ex-Villa teammate Brian Tiler becoming Zambia manager in 1978. Here’s Freddie in the hat

For the record, Kapengwe and Mwila were the third and fourth people of colour to play for Villa after William Clarke (41 apps, 1901-1905) and Stan Horne (6 apps, 1963-65) – who coincidentally later played against Kapengwe and Mwila’s Atlanta Chiefs side for Man City in 1968

Football wasn't invented in 1992