Ron Saunders speaks.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

“It is only one man’s decision and that man is Randy Lerner,”
“It is up to him to pick the manager and the fans should get behind him.”
“I did not have any real trouble when I crossed the city so I don’t see why he should,”

http://www.sundaymercury.net/midlands-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-fc-news/2011/06/19/ron-saunders-backs-former-birmingham-city-boss-alex-mcleish-to-succeed-at-aston-villa-66331-28900983/

P.S. I dont know who this Adam Aspinall is, but I have already e-mailed him for inaccurately saying Saunders resigned after a disagreement with Doug Ellis.

[Diablo]

"Back in February 1982, Saunders quit Villa after a row with former chairman Doug Ellis – and nine days later walked into a job at Blues."

9 days later???

[pooligan]

i always thought it was bendall who was the chairman

[Apyadg]

i always thought it was bendall who was the chairman

It was, Ellis was, at the time, the former chairman.

[Diablo]

How long was it before he took the post at Blues?

[Villa'Zawg]

How long was it before he took the post at Blues?

I think he was in charge for them when we played them the week after he left us?

[mozza]

Ron - you had won the First Division championship and the team you moulded went on to
win the European Cup - is it any wonder one side of the City were quite chuffed ?

[barrysleftfoot]

 Old Porky on TalkSport, who was a reporter in the city at the time, always maintained that Sir Ron walked out on Villa over something stupid like a parking space or something.

[Diablo]

How long was it before he took the post at Blues?

I think he was in charge for them when we played them the week after he left us?

I didn't remember it being that quick. I remember going to St Andrews at Christmas as a kid and seeing us get battered 0-3. I couldn't believe it, as a kid it just didn't compute - spoilt my Christmas and everything

[Pat McMahon]

I am not sure of the time it took Saunders to cross the city but it felt ridiculously short. He may say he had no problems but the game at St Andrews that February was very violent - Villa fans in the kop before kick off, Saunders taking pelters all game (You must be fucking mad, Saunders, Saunders) and Bendall receiving dogs abuse too (We've won the league we've won the cup, now Ronnie Bendall has fucked it up). It was kicking off big time all the way back to Digbeth after the game. A Geordie mate of mine came to the match and although he liked a few scrapes he thought it was absolutely mental. He was on a one man campaign in Newcastle after that to tell the city that Villa fans were as bad as any in the country.

[DeKuip]

Saunders resigned on 9th Feb 82.
Small Heath sacked Jim Smith on the 15th and on the 18th they held discussions with Saunders.
On the 19th Jasper Carrott resigned as a director because he hadn't been consulted about Smith's sacking.
On Saturday 20th it was Small Heath v Villa at The Sty (we won 1-0) and I believe Saunders was officially appointed two days later on the Monday.
These dates are from the 82-83 Rothmans Yearbook diary, it doesn't actually say when Saunders was appointed but I'm sure they waited until the derby was out the way.

[dave.woodhall]

Saunders resigned on 9th Feb 82.
Small Heath sacked Jim Smith on the 15th and on the 18th they held discussions with Saunders.
On the 19th Jasper Carrott resigned as a director because he hadn't been consulted about Smith's sacking.
On Saturday 20th it was Small Heath v Villa at The Sty (we won 1-0) and I believe Saunders was officially appointed two days later on the Monday.
These dates are from the 82-83 Rothmans Yearbook diary, it doesn't actually say when Saunders was appointed but I'm sure they waited until the derby was out the way.

That's about right.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Good to see the chronology of the events which I dont really recall in detail. For a start, the moment someone left Villa they were immediately irrelevant to my world (even a championship winning manager). Also the controversy and uproar would not be so instantaneous in those days. Discussion and opinions would have revolved around phoning up Tony Butler or writing a letter to the Evening Mail. 

[old man villa fan]

 Old Porky on TalkSport, who was a reporter in the city at the time, always maintained that Sir Ron walked out on Villa over something stupid like a parking space or something.

Didn't he leave because he wanted a rolling contract amd Bendall was trying to cut back after the League 1 title almost bankrupted us due to bonus payments.

[dave.woodhall]

It was reported that he left because the board had scrapped his rolling contract. He later said it was because they were interfering: "I am paid to manage Villa, not be a puppet or an office boy." It was also reckoned that he wanted to be a paid director (the rules had recently been changed to allow this) and Don Bendall also fancied the job.