Sir William Dugdale's memoirs.

[Desi]

They should be a good read, especially for anyone with an interest in 'recent'  Villa history.



Sir William, now aged 89, took over as chairman of the club from Ellis in 1975 and was chairman at the time of 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam.

Writing in his book, Settling The Bill, Sir William said: “Doug was very anti-Saunders and tried to veto his appointment but (board member) Harry Cressman said: ‘Who else is there?’ and moved that we appoint him.

“After much argument and discussion regarding re-advertising, we left Doug to discuss terms with Ron.

“Whatever happened next we shall never know, but Ron and Doug were not on the same wavelength from day one.”


Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2011/05/18/former-villa-chairman-bill-dugdale-reveals-battles-with-doug-ellis-65233-28711608/#ixzz1MhD62JUU

[VillaZogmariner]

That is going on my Christmas list.

[dave.woodhall]

Sir William, now aged 89, took over as chairman of the club from Ellis in 1975 and was chairman at the time of 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam.

No he wasn't.

[London Villan]

Wasn't it Bendal(l)?

[villasjf]

i thought Bendal was in charge before Doug in the 60s

[Pete]

I thought Harry Kartz took over from Doug as Chairman when Bendall bought him out in 79, but stepped down in 81 and Bendall himself took the Chair so was Chairman at the time of Rotterdam. I don't think Bendall had any connection to the club until 1979.

[darren woolley]

I must get his book.

[dave.woodhall]

Sir William joined the board in the early seventies, and became chairman when Doug stepped down from the role in 1975. He resigned the chair and from the board in 1978, and was succeeded as chair by Harry Kartz. His last act of any great significance was in 1979, when his shareholding proved decisive in Doug being removed from the board.

[Fergal]

Sir William joined the board in the early seventies, and became chairman when Doug stepped down from the role in 1975. He resigned the chair and from the board in 1978, and was succeeded as chair by Harry Kartz. His last act of any great significance was in 1979, when his shareholding proved decisive in Doug being removed from the board.

just how bad or good for the club was it when Doug came back?

[rotterdam.82]

Wasn't it Bendal(l)?

No,  Bendall took over from Harry Kartz in 1980 and was responsible for God, sorry I mean Ron Saunders leaving.
 Harry Kartz quote
But I feel that a club must have a chairman who is able to get on with his manager, so I asked Ron Bendall to take over.

"Then Bendall went to the Isle of Man to live, so we had our arguments over that."

Kartz bitterly regrets the fact that Saunders quit Villa for Blues at a time when Villa really could have challenged Liverpool to become the team of the 1980s.

He said: "I bumped into him at John Robson's funeral. He looked well and we had a long chat.

"He was one of the best - right up there with Bill Shankly and Brian Clough for what he did at Villa.

"When he left I told Ron Bendall we mustn't get a new manager in. When that happens they get rid of players to get their own in and alter the set-up.

"So we went with Tony Barton and won the European Cup. Then Doug sacked Barton in May 1984.

[rotterdam.82]

Sir William joined the board in the early seventies, and became chairman when Doug stepped down from the role in 1975. He resigned the chair and from the board in 1978, and was succeeded as chair by Harry Kartz. His last act of any great significance was in 1979, when his shareholding proved decisive in Doug being removed from the board.

just how bad or good for the club was it when Doug came back?

I believe it was an act of sheer vandalism,  Ellis was  chairman and major shareholder of Aston Villa 1968 to 1975. Ellis was replaced as chairman and finally ousted from the board in 1979. During his absence Aston Villa enjoyed its greatest period of success in modern times, winning the Football League title in 1981 and the European Cup in 1982.
I find it hard to take we have a stand named after the twat, this should be renamed THE RON SAUNDERS STAND!

[DeKuip]

But would we have had the highs of 81 and 82 if Ellis and co hadn't rescued the club in 68? I doubt it.
The years 68-75 provided a strong platform for the successes that followed.

As for Ron Saunders, I have the utmost respect for what he did for us when he was here but he also walked out on us at a vital time in our history and within no time was working at The Sty - so I wouldn't be happy to have a stand named after him either.
Plain old Witton Lane Stand is what it should have remained.

[Risso]

Wasn't it Bendal(l)?

No,  Bendall took over from Harry Kartz in 1980 and was responsible for God, sorry I mean Ron Saunders leaving.
 Harry Kartz quote
But I feel that a club must have a chairman who is able to get on with his manager, so I asked Ron Bendall to take over.

"Then Bendall went to the Isle of Man to live, so we had our arguments over that."

Kartz bitterly regrets the fact that Saunders quit Villa for Blues at a time when Villa really could have challenged Liverpool to become the team of the 1980s.

He said: "I bumped into him at John Robson's funeral. He looked well and we had a long chat.

"He was one of the best - right up there with Bill Shankly and Brian Clough for what he did at Villa.

"When he left I told Ron Bendall we mustn't get a new manager in. When that happens they get rid of players to get their own in and alter the set-up.

"So we went with Tony Barton and won the European Cup. Then Doug sacked Barton in May 1984.

I met Ron Bendall's daughter once.

[dave.woodhall]

Wasn't it Bendal(l)?

No,  Bendall took over from Harry Kartz in 1980 and was responsible for God, sorry I mean Ron Saunders leaving.
 Harry Kartz quote
But I feel that a club must have a chairman who is able to get on with his manager, so I asked Ron Bendall to take over.

"Then Bendall went to the Isle of Man to live, so we had our arguments over that."

Kartz bitterly regrets the fact that Saunders quit Villa for Blues at a time when Villa really could have challenged Liverpool to become the team of the 1980s.

He said: "I bumped into him at John Robson's funeral. He looked well and we had a long chat.

"He was one of the best - right up there with Bill Shankly and Brian Clough for what he did at Villa.

"When he left I told Ron Bendall we mustn't get a new manager in. When that happens they get rid of players to get their own in and alter the set-up.

"So we went with Tony Barton and won the European Cup. Then Doug sacked Barton in May 1984.

I met Ron Bendall's daughter once.

I worked for Ron Bendall's sons.

[Damo70]

Interesting man. Won a Military Cross, rode in The Grand National in the fifties, Uncle of David Cameron and responsible for his interest in the Villa, instrumental in appointing Ron Saunders and didn't like Doug. I think you will find that Kartz, Dugdale and Bendall supported Saunders and got together against Doug to force him out. Unfortunately Bendall later fell out with Saunders and Doug was determined to return and make sure when he did he would never be vunerable to being forced out again. So when Bendall's health was declining Doug was able to buy the European Champions for half a million quid and answer to no-one for the next twenty four years.