BFR 75 Today

[bertlambshank]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

[Brend'Watkins]

Coined the phrase "early doors". It sounds much better than "early into the game." 

[Chris Smith]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

People are letting their memory of his time as our manager cloud their judgement. If he had not worked for us then he would get zero sympathy, he'd just be that racist ex baggies and manu manager.

The person who told me witnessed it first hand, is somebody I trust 100% and would have no reason to lie, he's also a Villa season ticket holder.

[MarkM]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

People are letting their memory of his time as our manager cloud their judgement. If he had not worked for us then he would get zero sympathy, he'd just be that racist ex baggies and manu manager.

The person who told me witnessed it first hand, is somebody I trust 100% and would have no reason to lie, he's also a Villa season ticket holder.

Didnt he play 11 black players for us against Everton?

[Witton Warrior]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

People are letting their memory of his time as our manager cloud their judgement. If he had not worked for us then he would get zero sympathy, he'd just be that racist ex baggies and manu manager.

The person who told me witnessed it first hand, is somebody I trust 100% and would have no reason to lie, he's also a Villa season ticket holder.

Didnt he play 11 black players for us against Everton?

I once heard a guy tell a horribly racist joke and then tell me he couldn't be racist because he employed black people - wished I had thought of the "plantation owners" retort at the time but was a little emotional...

The football his team played was great - I remember those players not him

[Chris Smith]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

People are letting their memory of his time as our manager cloud their judgement. If he had not worked for us then he would get zero sympathy, he'd just be that racist ex baggies and manu manager.

The person who told me witnessed it first hand, is somebody I trust 100% and would have no reason to lie, he's also a Villa season ticket holder.

Didnt he play 11 black players for us against Everton?

I don't know, but that makes no difference if he did, it's the 'some of my best friends are black' argument.

He also made some fairly dodgy comments when he was on Celebrity Big Brother.

I understand the generational argument but really it is no defence. He's spent a large part of his working life in an environment when it was a big issue and he should know the difference. 

[bertlambshank]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

People are letting their memory of his time as our manager cloud their judgement. If he had not worked for us then he would get zero sympathy, he'd just be that racist ex baggies and manu manager.

The person who told me witnessed it first hand, is somebody I trust 100% and would have no reason to lie, he's also a Villa season ticket holder.

Was that before or after his night of shame?

[Mister E]

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

he was a breath of fresh air - the away game at Hillsborough for his opening game in charge is still one of my all-time favourite away matches.
However, best football ever played in my time was the team of 1976-1977 with Gray, Deehan and the incomparable Little.

[Chris Smith]

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. 

Nah,he is a racist who has been doing it for years Chris said so.
Mind you its only what he has been told.

People are letting their memory of his time as our manager cloud their judgement. If he had not worked for us then he would get zero sympathy, he'd just be that racist ex baggies and manu manager.

The person who told me witnessed it first hand, is somebody I trust 100% and would have no reason to lie, he's also a Villa season ticket holder.

Was that before or after his night of shame?

It was before and it took place on a golf course. He reckoned that he was showing off, thinking using that sort of language would impress people.

[bertlambshank]

Maybe he is a piss head racist,I have met a few unfortunately.

[Pat McMahon]

Maybe he is a piss head racist,I have met a few unfortunately.

Are you friends with John Terry's dad?

[bertlambshank]

Maybe he is a piss head racist,I have met a few unfortunately.

Are you friends with John Terry's dad?

He would be told to fuck right off!

[E I Adio]

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. 

As John says he comes from a different generation and although I'm younger than BFR, I can recall certain words that today would immediately brand someone as racist that were not merely tolerated but were used in normal conversation.

On the other hand, as a kid, saying "bloody" would land you in big trouble and I'd never even heard the word "fuck" until I went to secondary school and then it was never used within earshot of an adult.

Standards evolve and change, hopefully for the better and judging people by different standards is a bit daft.

[The Left Side]

Great era for the Villa, when we were competing... 92-93 was a great season but ended badly with manure winning the league. Grrrrr oh and Happy Birthday Ron.

[Des Little]

He's made mistakes, he's been ignorant and said some stupid things. But he's given us some never to be forgotten memories and been fantastic for football over the years so I wish the big man a happy birthday and all the very best.