Aston Villa After 1982

[Pat McMahon]

I thought Saunders had disagreements with Bendall re not being allowed to strengthen the title winning squad?

[dave.woodhall]

I thought Saunders had disagreements with Bendall re not being allowed to strengthen the title winning squad?

No, it was over his contract and probably the way he saw his authority being eroded.

[Damo70]

I thought Saunders had disagreements with Bendall re not being allowed to strengthen the title winning squad?

No, it was over his contract and probably the way he saw his authority being eroded.

It was certainly to do with the infamous rollover contract situation but I also recall talk of disputes about squad strengthening. I think he mentioned a few names like Lee Chapman and Mark Chamberlain who he wanted to bring in to challenge the likes of Peter Withe and Tony Morley. Long time ago and I was only a kid but that has stuck in my head for some reason.

[Pat McMahon]

I thought Saunders had disagreements with Bendall re not being allowed to strengthen the title winning squad?

No, it was over his contract and probably the way he saw his authority being eroded.

It was certainly to do with the infamous rollover contract situation but I also recall talk of disputes about squad strengthening. I think he mentioned a few names like Lee Chapman and Mark Chamberlain who he wanted to bring in to challenge the likes of Peter Withe and Tony Morley. Long time ago and I was only a kid but that has stuck in my head for some reason.

Cheers gents.

I can't remember where or when I read it but I thought Saunders was annoyed at the tight finances and brought in his own finance person (off the record I imagine) to cast an eye over the books to see if they could justify a few signings to strengthen the squad. I seem to recall the upshot being "all we managed to do was sign Andy Blair from Coventry".

[peter w]

And after what Ellis did he gets a stand named after him. Our golden team, our chance, ripped up byhim because he wanted to have his own legacy. And he's got it.

[clash city rocker]

Remember  being at a shareholders meeting and sitting in the Witton lane stand..!! Can't remember the exact year but the bendable were there and I seem to remember Ellis being there..who came and sat directly in front of us..Mr.saunders and a couple  of minders..caught a couple of his quiet comments and he was less than impressed with ellis

[oldham_villa]

We were cruelly dealt a bad blow with Shaw and Cowans suffering terrible injuries.

That said, our transfers in were on the poor side. Replacing Peter Withe was the big one. Rideout couldn't lace his boots. Centre half positions were not great either.

In hindsight it would have been great to have got linekar and smith in, or even John Wark.

Come to think of it, we should have plundered that Ipswich side. They had done great players.

MacMahon, had his heart been in it, could have been a wonderful signing.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'm sure Rideout was highly regarded when we signed him as a 19 year old. We signed a few decent players, McMahon, Dorigo, Hodge, Keown spring to mind, as well as having Daley, Walters, Birch coming through. And when you add them to Sid & Shaw (if only those injuries hadn't happened) plus the others from 1980-83 who were sold too soon, we should never have had the shite that happened in the mid 80s.

[ez]

I've seen Ellis doing a tv interview claiming the club had a debt that had to be addressed.