BFR 75 Today

[Damo70]

Press conference the day he took over at United -
"Ron, are you happy to give your home phone number to the local press guys?"
"Yes, but don't ring me during The Sweeney!"
"Martin Edwards offered me a Rover. I told him I already had a dog, it was a car I was after. I got a Mercedes."

BRMB phone in the Friday night when he took over Villa -
"Ron, are you gonna win us a trophy like the blues?"
"I hope I don't win you the Leyland Daf cup!"

Sky interview before returning to Villa Park with Coventry -
"What reception do you think you will get on your way to the dugout?"
"Your not allowed to say Doug out at Villa Park!"

[Damo70]

Long serving Oxford kit man Ken Fish, who some may remember from the '86 semi final programme cover had to have a leg amputated late in life. BFR went with Jim Smith to visit him in hospital. He thought it would be amusing to take him one shoe as a present. He thought it would be even more amusing if it was for the foot he no longer had!

[saunders_heroes]

Happy Birthday, Big Ron. Best football I ever saw played at Villa was under Atkinson. Shame it ended the way it did.

[Concrete John]

Happy birthday, Ron.

[AV82EC]

Will never forget that BRMB forum/question night he did withGeorge Gavin after spending the afternoon on the sauce at Cheltenham, vey funny particularly all the Blues gags.

[richardhubbard]

A very very good villa manager and he only 5 years older than ferguson! thought he was 80

[Holte L2]

Agreed. Definitly the most entertaining football I've seen at Villa Park. Would have loved him to remain with the Club in some capacity.

[Fred]

Happy Birthday Ron, thank you for season 1992/1993 and winning the league cup in 1994.

[Lee]

Happy Birthday, Big Ron. Best football I ever saw played at Villa was under Atkinson. Shame it ended the way it did.

Totally agree. An absolute pleasure.

[Jon Crofts]

Happy days under Ron, he certainly put together a few entertaining sides.

[Chris Smith]

Apparently he is celebrating with 75 burning crosses on his cake instead of candles.

The memory of his time for me is forever tarnished by his subsequent outing as an unabashed racist. I know from other people that his remarks on TV were far from being an isolated incident.

[Toronto Villa]

Apparently he is celebrating with 75 burning crosses on his cake instead of candles.

The memory of his time for me is forever tarnished by his subsequent outing as an unabashed racist. I know from other people that his remarks on TV were far from being an isolated incident.

It'd hard to separate the two. You might love him for his football and most of his stay at the club, but how can you not look at him based on what he was caught saying. And you know that was never the first time, it was just the first time he got caught in such a public way. Like a man/woman who gets caught cheating on their partner and pleads that it was the one and only time...

[barrysleftfoot]

 His actions suggest he was'nt a racist.

 Great times, some great memories, the excitement, expectations, enjoyment of the time.After 76-82, probably my favourite time as a Villa fan was under BFR. Sheff Weds away, his 1st game, epitomised his reign.

[Matt C]

As a kid standing on the Holte I'll never forget a wonderful goal against Sheffield Wednesday - brilliant passing move culminating with a Staunton cross and Yorke finish. Still to this day one of the best team goals I've ever seen. Focussing on the good, that's what I'll remember BFR at Villa for; style and flamboyance. It was fun. 

[Concrete John]

BFR is from a generation where certain words were tolerated, which rightly aren't now.  As one of the pioneering managers when it came to bringing black players into the game, you can't really label him a racist.