Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Villa Lew on March 25, 2017, 07:32:26 AM
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There's a 2 page article in the Mail today on the great man.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4347212/Lost-master-Ron-Saunders-won-Aston-Villa-league.html
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Really great account and a sad latest part to his life.
People call Paul McGrath God, well to me Ron Saunders was that and more. He was my era as Villa boss. No one can come a close second in football, perhaps Steve Stride but that's another story for another time.
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I didn't know he was suffering with Dementia, it's a cruel disease.
Thanks for everything Ron Saunders, I will forever be in awe of you and what you achieved at Aston Villa.
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Just read the article. So sad that he is now in poor health. Am so lucky to have been a young Villa fan during his time here. He instilled such confidence in his teams that as a fan I always thought we would win every game. The man is a Villa legend, pure and simple. 110%.
I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that he was and still is Portsmouth's leading goal scorer. Most likely heading those old fashioned footballs will have contributed to his condition. Very sad!
I know that Ron did not like the fame that came with football, but I always find it gets on my nerves when the football pundits talk about, Shankly, Clough, Revie, Nicholson, Ferguson and Robson as legends, which they are, but Saunders never gets mentioned. To win the league over a 42 game season (with only 2 points for a win) and only using 14 all English/Scottish/Irish players is remarkable. If Villa were the mafia, then Ron Saunders was the Godfather!
UTV 110%
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A true Villa great and hero! Ron Saunders Claret and Blue army!
It's long overdue, but the great man should be honoured at VP. Over to you Tone!
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Just read the article. So sad that he is now in poor health. Am so lucky to have been a young Villa fan during his time here. He instilled such confidence in his teams that as a fan I always thought we would win every game. The man is a Villa legend, pure and simple. 110%.
I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that he was and still is Portsmouth's leading goal scorer. Most likely heading those old fashioned footballs will have contributed to his condition. Very sad!
I know that Ron did not like the fame that came with football, but I always find it gets on my nerves when the football pundits talk about, Shankly, Clough, Revie, Nicholson, Ferguson and Robson as legends, which they are, but Saunders never gets mentioned. To win the league over a 42 game season (with only 2 points for a win) and only using 14 all English/Scottish/Irish players is remarkable. If Villa were the mafia, then Ron Saunders was the Godfather!
UTV 110%
He was the Godfather
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A true Villa great and hero! Ron Saunders Claret and Blue army!
It's long overdue, but the great man should be honoured at VP. Over to you Tone!
Nice article
I concur
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
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This was the man who brought us our best history in most of our lifetimes and while Graham Taylor was loved at Villa and his death was tragic when people talked about naming a stand after him it annoyed me because if a stand is renamed it should be after Ron Saunders - this name won the League, League Cups and it was his side that won the European Cup (no disrespect to Tony Barton)
This man was the greatest manager most of us will have seen at VP
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I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that he was and still is Portsmouth's leading goal scorer.
It's some record. 145 goals in 236 games, their leading goalscorer for 6 consecutive seasons.
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The day he came back to VP after so long away and the reception he got will stay with me, one of those spine tingling moments you get following Villa.
I was actually going to ask if the new administration had invited him to a game before I read he'd had dementia which would obviously make things different.
My Uncle had it in his later years, a very frustrating illness for all parties.
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Good article will always be my favourite manager for Villa what he did was incredible it's a shame he's now got dementia terrible illness.
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I owe much of my childhood and adolescence relative happiness to this great man!
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There was...there is...there will only ever be.......one Ron Saunders.
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Like a lot on here I consider myself lucky to be alive to have experienced the Saunders' years, picking up where Vic Crowe left off, on the glorious climb to the top of the league and beyond.
He definitely gave us fans a strong sense of belief so I can only imagine the belief he gave the players, confirmed by some of their comments in that article.
He made us the best team in the country, prouder than ever to be Villa and, well, happy!
We loved you then Ron Saunders, and we still do now.
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Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1. The best 90 minutes of football I've ever seen.
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Mr Saunders should have been shown a lot more respect, from the owners, I have said before and I know a lot agree with me, the Witton lane stand should be "The Ron Saunders Stand"..
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Could you ever see him putting up with the shit from some of our lot since his departure? I don't think the now often used phrase "Players have too much power" would have registered with him.
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I don't think I'll ever see a better Villa manager in my lifetime. A leader of men.
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" wipe the tears baby dears from your eyes"
I doubt we will see his like again, My Villa Hero.
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Reading that article, in particular this bit...
Then, with his team in the European Cup quarter-finals, he walked out of Villa Park when they tried to change the terms of his contract.
...makes me reflect on how, on the few occasions when we have a top class manager, how careless we are at keeping hold of them.
Okay, so we couldn't do anything about Graham Taylor going off to manage England but the Big Fat Ron sacking was a disaster only averted by hiring Brian Little. As for Sir Brian, I'm sure I recall John Gregory saying that he if had still been on the staff at the time Brian Little quit, he would have talked him into staying. (I believe Brian Little quit with us in the UEFA cup quarter finals? And I'm sure that under Gregory the team's league form recovered immediately and we qualified for Europe once again that same season). And then Martin O'Neill walked out days before the season started and - as difficult as that is to forgive - I seem to recall a tribunal ruled that he was constructively dismissed (or am I imagining that?).
Anyhow, Ron Saunders, Ron Atkinson, Brian Little and Martin O'Neill were all cast aside or allowed to slip away by the Villa. Whereas, the likes of Paul Lambert were almost impossible to get rid off. Makes you wonder what might have been...
...if Ron Saunders had remained in charge throughout the 1980s.
...if Ron Atkinson had done likewise in the 1990s.
...if Brian Little had been given more support.
...if Martin O'Neill had been give the £20 million or so that was quickly splashed on Darren Bent only a few months after.
As an aside, oddly none of the aforementioned managers had much further success post-Villa so the parting of the ways hurt everyone.
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Proof that even the Daily can occasionally print an article worth reading.
Ron's reign at the Villa more-or-less coincided with my high school years and, perhaps because of that, I always thought of him as a son-of-bitch, hard-as-nails headmaster figure. But if ever there was right-man, right-place, right-time it was Saunders at the Villa for those six seasons.
Having said that, his departure and subsequent appearance at St Andrew's was the greatest betrayal, but luckily for his reputation among Villa fans in the subsequent decades, winning the European Cup more than sugar-coated the pill.
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I was at villa park for an agm ( not sure if it was late 70's) and sat in the Witton lane stand. Just before the start who should walk in and sit in the seats in front of me...yep...Mr .Saunders himself along with a couple of others who may have been from the minder fraternity. The Bednall''s were there and so was Douglas . I caught a couple of comments he made to his friends and he didn't seem too complimentary about either party.
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Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1. The best 90 minutes of football I've ever seen.
45 minutes!
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I was fortunate to watch the Villa during the Saunders era. He built three teams of which the 77 one was the most exciting. But it shows what a fantastic manager he was because he built another which won the league and European Cup. He never got the recognition he deserved. Such a shame that he is unwell. Best Villa manager I will probably ever see.
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Proof that even the Daily can occasionally print an article worth reading.
Ron's reign at the Villa more-or-less coincided with my high school years and, perhaps because of that, I always thought of him as a son-of-bitch, hard-as-nails headmaster figure. But if ever there was right-man, right-place, right-time it was Saunders at the Villa for those six seasons.
Having said that, his departure and subsequent appearance at St Andrew's was the greatest betrayal, but luckily for his reputation among Villa fans in the subsequent decades, winning the European Cup more than sugar-coated the pill.
Hard as nails is about right, look at the guns on the bugger. You wouldn't mess.
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Rather than Tony spunking his money on a load of old cock in the Championship, he should sink it into making the DeLorean finally serviceable.
What price a time travelling Ron Saunders on hand for when we started to wilt in Feb/March 1990, March 1993 or May 2000.
Or at any point last season, just to test his boxing theories out on Lescott, Micah and Gabby. Constantly.
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Proof that even the Daily can occasionally print an article worth reading.
Ron's reign at the Villa more-or-less coincided with my high school years and, perhaps because of that, I always thought of him as a son-of-bitch, hard-as-nails headmaster figure. But if ever there was right-man, right-place, right-time it was Saunders at the Villa for those six seasons.
Having said that, his departure and subsequent appearance at St Andrew's was the greatest betrayal, but luckily for his reputation among Villa fans in the subsequent decades, winning the European Cup more than sugar-coated the pill.
Hard as nails is about right, look at the guns on the bugger. You wouldn't mess.
He always seemed old to me. It's mad, being old myself now and realising how young he was when we won the league. 48?
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Can the thread title be changed to Daily Heil? I'm fussy with details like that.
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Christ Saunders was in great shape when he was a manager. How old would he have been then, 50 odd? He has that physique you dont see anymore...a natural fitness honed by hard work and hard running more than flexing his pecs in the gym.
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Trips to India and the Far East with Breeda in the early 90s sparked a spiritual outlook on life and he returned to embrace vegetarianism and would meditate daily to Indian music.
So as the resident vegan Buddhist chaplain of this forum, from now on anyone ever has a pop at being veggie or meditating will get the full 110% Ron quoted at em!
In all seriousness, I never expected to read that, somewhat incongruous with the rest of the picture? Which is of course the beautiful unpredictability of human nature.
Though I'd have had him down as a more hardcore stare at the wall Zen type?
Certainly not meditating to music, I don't know any serious meditators who do that.
Gosh this really is a revelation. I grew up to Ron, I was 8 months old when he came to Villa, we don't know when my first match was, carried in in my dads arms, but I was so blessed to have a season ticket in time to see us win the League at age 7. I just had no idea our Gaffer might have been a spiritual seeker/role model too...
And for any squad building detail the Daily Heil didn't go into, do also enjoy a longer read of this by villa fan @MichaelPlant82 - a young writer we need to support?
Neglected heroes: Ron Saunders, Aston Villa and the glory of the early 1980s (http://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/03/07/neglected-heroes-ron-saunders-aston-villa-and-the-glory-of-the-early-1980s/)
Also do see the Dessie thread I just bumped:.
Interview: Des Bremner on the rise and fall of Aston Villa, memories of Hibs, and why Ron Saunders was the Pep Guardiola of his day (15 May 2016)
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Best days ever of being a Villa fan, just left school when he came, had money in my pocket, no responsibilities, so going everywhere with the Villa was the norm and some of those matches my god were beautiful, as mentioned the Media darlings of Scouseland, getting their arses kicked for 45 minutes, Old Trafford 77 cup final, Highbury in May, thank you Ron and how ever long you have left, I hope life gives you some of the pleasures you gave me and many like me.
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Great article.
Thought one league title in 107 years. It's not great is it?
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We should look at Ron Saunders method on recruiting players as he doesn't seem to have too much trouble.
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So sad to read about his decline
the term greatest or legend don't come close to describe him or what he did for us.
The day he finally becomes a Holte ender in the sky there should be a 10 minute applause not a 1 minute one
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Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1. The best 90 minutes of football I've ever seen.
45 minutes!
The first game I ever went to.
I was blown away by the whole experience and the excitement. Thought it would be like that every week.
Very good article about Ron, if only he had stayed on to continue the great achievments.
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Cheers Purple!
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I should imagine Ron''s way of signing players was to phone them and tell them to get down to Villa Park as they would be signing for us. They would also be informed that if they didn't make it there within 3 hours they would automatically be fined their first 2 weeks wages. How I would like to have seen Ron get his hands on the likes of Richards, gabby and a few others.
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Whilst the League Championship trophy rather suggests that the ends justified the means, Ron's way was not universally popular at the end of the 70s as one favourite after another was shown the door. My mate's dad didn't renew his season ticket for 1980-81 as he'd had enough of Saunders...
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...if Martin O'Neill had been give the £20 million or so that was quickly splashed on Darren Bent only a few months after.
He'd have spent it on more centre-backs.
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...if Martin O'Neill had been give the £20 million or so that was quickly splashed on Darren Bent only a few months after.
He'd have spent it on more centre-backs.
And played them at full back.
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Yes it was at Sty Andrews and we sung you must be f**king mad Saunders Saunders to that tv advert tune. even though he was there we still applauded him
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
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A great article but the pictures brought back so many fantastic memories of being a fan in the mid-70's. It's the only time that I can honestly say I looked forward to every game. I particularly remembered the last home game of the promotion season and beating Sunderland 2-0 in a game they had to win to have any chance of promotion. Fantastic days.
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
Yes and interestingly the Mail omitted we were all singing " You must be Fucking mad, Saunders, Saunders"
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Yes it was at Sty Andrews and we sung you must be f**king mad Saunders Saunders to that tv advert tune. even though he was there we still applauded him
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
Sorry VillaXL you pipped me to it!
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That seven years was the best of times to have been a Villa supporter. Quite unbelievable when I look back. We were privileged to have had this man as our manager.High time to acknowledge the magnitude of his achievements.
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I very rarely make a post on the site but felt I had to comment about Ron. It's so sad to hear he is in poor health in his twilight years. For me he was Villa's greatest manager, a time when we were top dog. I remembered hearing the news of his resignation and cried, I was 26 years old at the time. We have had some good times since, but for me the Ron Saunders era was the best. We won the European Cup but it was The team that he built, and that is no disrespect to Tony Barton. I wonder if Ron had stayed what we could have gone on to achieve. Ron you are a god and I'm sure all Villa fans will agree.
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I very rarely make a post on the site but felt I had to comment about Ron. It's so sad to hear he is in poor health in his twilight years. For me he was Villa's greatest manager, a time when we were top dog. I remembered hearing the news of his resignation and cried, I was 26 years old at the time. We have had some good times since, but for me the Ron Saunders era was the best. We won the European Cup but it was The team that he built, and that is no disrespect to Tony Barton. I wonder if Ron had stayed what we could have gone on to achieve. Ron you are a god and I'm sure all Villa fans will agree.
I have always been felt that if Saunders had stayed we would not have won the European cup but we would have remained a top team for longer. However HDE may have had a say in that.
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Howe=
I very rarely make a post on the site but felt I had to comment about Ron. It's so sad to hear he is in poor health in his twilight years. For me he was Villa's greatest manager, a time when we were top dog. I remembered hearing the news of his resignation and cried, I was 26 years old at the time. We have had some good times since, but for me the Ron Saunders era was the best. We won the European Cup but it was The team that he built, and that is no disrespect to Tony Barton. I wonder if Ron had stayed what we could have gone on to achieve. Ron you are a god and I'm sure all Villa fans will agree.
I have always been felt that if Saunders had stayed we would not have won the European cup but we would have remained a top team for longer. However HDE may have had a say in that.
However, who has got his name etched across our stadium. Doesn't make sense.
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Article about Ron's Norwich days. He was a fit bloke.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5322817/Super-fit-Ron-Saunders-mix-Bruce-Lee-Popeye.html
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
And to which we sang back to the same tune “You must be fucking mad, Saunders,Saunders”
Concur with the sentiment that it will be criminal if we don’t rename the North Stand in his honour whilst he is still alive and hopefully be able to understand what he means to us.
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We were privileged to have had this man as our manager.
This times a million.
Reading that article just reminds me of the good times of being a Villa fan. Like at Villa, some players may not have liked him. Tough shit. We, the fans, worshiped him and justifiably so and he loved us back. He took us back to the Big Time, it's just a shame we never had a board that could keep up with the momentum.
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Those of us that were lucky enough to watch Ron Saunders Aston Villa are indeed privileged.
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I was at an age back then where I thought all we did was win trophies. I soon learnt.
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At that time I thought success would last forever. How wrong I was.
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Has anyone read his biography that was published recently? Any good?
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Great article, disappointing there's no mention of the demolition of Liverpool and inflicting their heaviest defeat of the 70s.
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I was at an age back then where I thought all we did was win trophies. I soon learnt.
Same here. In a way I did not really appreciate 80/81/82 because I thought “this is how it’s going to be from now on”
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Didn’t know this:
He rejected an offer from Manchester United when at Villa and resisted two informal approaches from the FA about the England job, suggesting they spoke first to his club.
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Didn’t he return back to religion sure I gave read that about him. Typical boss though with his players calling him for everything
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
To the same tune, Villa were singing 'You must be fucking mad, Saunders, Saunders'
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At the infamous Southampton game after he was sacked, everyone was behind Saunders and against Bendall (and Ronnie Bendall fucked it up...) . As I remember he joined Blues the next day and became enemy number one for a few years.
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
To the same tune, Villa were singing 'You must be fucking mad, Saunders, Saunders'
Remember it like yesterday
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He did. Think he has a form of dementia now too.
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At the infamous Southampton game after he was sacked, everyone was behind Saunders and against Bendall (and Ronnie Bendall fucked it up...) .
Iirc some lads got on the pitch from The Holte and made it to the center circle with a banner with something like "Please stay Ron" written on it.
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He did. Think he has a form of dementia now too.
Classy
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At the infamous Southampton game after he was sacked, everyone was behind Saunders and against Bendall (and Ronnie Bendall fucked it up...) .
Iirc some lads got on the pitch from The Holte and made it to the center circle with a banner with something like "Please stay Ron" written on it.
Then a week later everyone was against him.
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
In my memory ( I was eleven at the time) it was only three or fours days between him walking out on Villa for Small Heath and then us playing them. I checked and it was actually eleven days.
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Very interesting read, slight mistake here mind - the game was at St. Andrews where we won 1-0.
Two weeks later, he was back at Villa Park as manager of Birmingham with Blues fans singing, 'We'll take good care of you, Ron Saunders', to the tune of a British Airways TV advert.
To the same tune, Villa were singing 'You must be fucking mad, Saunders, Saunders'
I got a bollocking off my mum for going round the house singing that as an eleven year old when he left. HoWever, my next door neighbours who were big Villa fans heard me through the wall and told my mum they had found it hilarious.
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He did. Think he has a form of dementia now too.
Classy
?
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He did. Think he has a form of dementia now too.
Classy
?
May have misread your comment. Not sure what 'he did' refers to
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Somebody asks if he became a born again Christian and I confirmed that he had and more tragic news about his illness.
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Somebody asks if he became a born again Christian and I confirmed that he had and more tragic news about his illness.
Ok, my appologies Mr Ads. Enjoy the win tonight
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He is the last one of the managerial greats from that era who is still around.
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Don't think he would have had the success in today's game with the power that the players have now. Mind he might have chinned a couple of the prima Donnas that pass themselves off as footballers these days.
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44 years ago today Super Ron was appointed. Somewhat aptly it was after we'd twice failed to be promoted from division 2.
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Reading that he’s not at all well. Awful, awful news and wishing him and his family all the very best. Someone hit the nail on the head saying he was every bit as important to our history as Shankly was to Liverpool, and Clough at Forest. The best we’ve ever had.
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For me Ron Saunders IS AstonVilla that there is no commemoration of his time with us is an absolute scandal.
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For me Ron Saunders IS AstonVilla that there is no commemoration of his time with us is an absolute scandal.
Could not agree more old boy
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For me Ron Saunders IS AstonVilla that there is no commemoration of his time with us is an absolute scandal.
Could not agree more old boy
We certainly should consider any new / refurb of a stand to be the Saunders Stand. Without belittling the impact that Tony Barton had in going on to win the "big one" it was more or less Ron Saunders team and playing method that did not change
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I can't see us changing the name of the Witton Lane Stand for some time. If we do it now, we'll be portrayed as insulting a frail, elderly man. If we do it after the worse has happened, we'll be accused of tarnishing his memory.
I hope that at some point we redevelop the North Stand and, if we do, I'd like us to rename it the Ron Saunders Stand, with a Tony Barton Suite enclosed. Preferably with a statue of both men outside.
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I would hope that a statue of Saunders would be something that the club would consider at some point in the future. I'm sure people of this parish who were involved in the very popular McGregor tribute could (if they so wished) have some valuable input. And I'd like to think that fans who remember his work would be willing to donate?
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I would hope that a statue of Saunders would be something that the club would consider at some point in the future. I'm sure people of this parish who were involved in the very popular McGregor tribute could (if they so wished) have some valuable input. And I'd like to think that fans who remember his work would be willing to donate?
110%
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Easy wins for new owners: stand, suite, statues. All feel right.
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great man who built fantastic teams to play this beautiful game
i never knew he played for Everton even though he's from up that way
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I can't see us changing the name of the Witton Lane Stand for some time. If we do it now, we'll be portrayed as insulting a frail, elderly man. If we do it after the worse has happened, we'll be accused of tarnishing his memory.
I hope that at some point we redevelop the North Stand and, if we do, I'd like us to rename it the Ron Saunders Stand, with a Tony Barton Suite enclosed. Preferably with a statue of both men outside.
Yes agree would be very nice touch and one I'm sure that the fans would commend the new owners with if given the chance
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For me the best Manager of Aston Villa in my lifetime
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For me the best Manager of Aston Villa in my lifetime
I think he just takes it ahead of SGT. I think Saunders was a better judge of players and team make up, whereas SGT was a better man manager and tactician.
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He's miles ahead of SGT. If it hadn't been for the cup runs we'd almost certainly have won the league in 1977, that side was stunning. He then dismantled that side and built the 80-82 side.
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great man who built fantastic teams to play this beautiful game
i never knew he played for Everton even though he's from up that way
He was merely there on an amateur status
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I tell my 21 year old daughter about past villa legends and I always tell her that the one I thought most highly of was Sir Ron. He feared no one or any team. Non of this 'hope to Nick a result business with him.
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Sad to read how Ron is now in a care home but some wonderful reader comments made by Pompey fans here. (https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/pompey/football-will-forever-remember-legacy-of-pompey-great-ron-saunders-1-8597658) The Ron Saunders song they had raised a smile. What a great player, manager and man.
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Rather than Tony spunking his money on a load of old cock in the Championship, he should sink it into making the DeLorean finally serviceable.
What price a time travelling Ron Saunders on hand for when we started to wilt in Feb/March 1990, March 1993 or May 2000.
Or at any point last season, just to test his boxing theories out on Lescott, Micah and Gabby. Constantly.
The first two would never have set foot in Villa Park under Ron.
Gabby would have been fit as f**k, never allowed to bulk up as he did and would probably have been an England regular
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great man who built fantastic teams to play this beautiful game
i never knew he played for Everton even though he's from up that way
He was merely there on an amateur status
I believe Ron Saunders was an Everton fan as a kid. As were Kenny Swain, Tony Morley and Peter Withe.
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Sad to read how Ron is now in a care home but some wonderful reader comments made by Pompey fans here. (https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/pompey/football-will-forever-remember-legacy-of-pompey-great-ron-saunders-1-8597658) The Ron Saunders song they had raised a smile. What a great player, manager and man.
Thank you for linking this article from yesterday, well worth a read.
Of course, devastatingly sad the decline of dementia, a peculiarly painful slow loss of the man, of quality of life and connection to the personality that was. Poignant words from Ronnie Jr.
I'm left with a fantasy of the Holte singing long and loud for him one last time while he *may* still have capacity to take in a video of it. Probably naive, but wouldn't that be special.
I so wish he had his name on a stand during his lifetime.
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Managers have had their sayings - Saunders merely had a number which he spilled out every week 110%
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The one and only as far as managers go for me, lucky to see his Villa teams from the start and he really did sweep this club to a whole new level.
Also lovely story, not sure how true it is, that when he left the Jag he had at the time, it was a club car, to annoy and piss of the board, he hid it in some barn in Warwickshire somewhere, took the drivers set out as it was one he paid for, something to do with his back, it was there for years by all accounts, as I say don't know how true the story is, but it sounds like Ron if you crossed him.
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Sad to read how Ron is now in a care home but some wonderful reader comments made by Pompey fans here. (https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/pompey/football-will-forever-remember-legacy-of-pompey-great-ron-saunders-1-8597658) The Ron Saunders song they had raised a smile. What a great player, manager and man.
Thank you for linking this article from yesterday, well worth a read.
Of course, devastatingly sad the decline of dementia, a peculiarly painful slow loss of the man, of quality of life and connection to the personality that was. Poignant words from Ronnie Jr.
I'm left with a fantasy of the Holte singing long and loud for him one last time while he *may* still have capacity to take in a video of it. Probably naive, but wouldn't that be special.
I so wish he had his name on a stand during his lifetime.
There's some effort started in social media to make this happen. (Naming the North Stand after him)
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For me the best Manager of Aston Villa in my lifetime
Of anybody`s time i should think...
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I wouldn’t want to name the current North Stand after such a great man. I’m hoping we do for the new one (as and when it happens).
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For me and I guess many of my age, Ron epitomises what Aston Villa was all about.
My Heart swells when I picture his deadpan face, staring at a commentator who had asked some dumb question, do you want to bet against us.
He was our Shankly or Busby
Probably built the best Villa teams of the modern era. Not that all was perfect and at times he took some criticism.
But as someone mentioned earlier, if we could pop him into a Tardis and bring him back, if only just.
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I was quite scared of him as a kid. When he did that interview (AVTV?) in more recent years, despite his age I still found him quite intimidating.
I used to drink with a bloke who had been on the end of a Ron Saunders bollocking years ago. Saunders sent his underage son into the off licence the guy worked in at the time in Solihull to get him a bottle of brandy while he waited in his car. When the guy I knew refused to serve the lad Saunders had to get out of his car to buy it himself and he wasn't a happy bunny.
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I wouldn’t want to name the current North Stand after such a great man. I’m hoping we do for the new one (as and when it happens).
This and hopefully very quickly in the faint hope he is both still alive and has the capability to take at least some of it in . If nothing else it will give comfort to his family and ensure people ask after this heroe of ours.
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What more can I add? Nothing except to echo all of the above. I feel hugely privileged to have been able to see Villa during those Saunders years. 110% respect for a great man and our greatest manager.
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He made players run through brick walls for him and give that famous 110%. It didn't matter whether they did it out of loyalty and respect or out of spite and defiance depending on whether they loved him or hated him.
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Had this already been posted somewhere on here?
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-villa-west-brom-saunders-15030246.amp
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What a man and what a tragic end of his days - terrible terrible disease
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When he was in charge of Small Heath I seem to remember he used his column in the Sports Argus to launch a Save Our Society (S.O.S.) campaign.