Ron Saunders RIP

[Percy McCarthy]

Newbon - "Are you going to smile now Ron"?
Saunders - "Life isn't all about smiling Gary"!

Haha! Genius.

[Tayls_7]

Heaven's Villa XI have just appointed a new manager.

[stubbsyandy]

A great, no doubt about it..I feel I’ve lost a chunk of my younger days with this sad news..RIP Mr Saunders and thank you for what you gave our beautiful club. UTV

[Bobby Boy]

My God. An absolute solid gold hero. That 80-81 team will never be forgotten. Goodbye, Ron.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

  Any time we've gone through tough times as a club, Ron's achievements have kept me going and believing.  The fact that I never, ever, doubt Aston Villa are capable of being the very best club in England and in Europe again is entirely down to the great man and that 110% will to win that he had.  My sincere sympathy to his family and friends.

Beautiful words, Billy and I echo every single one. There's not been a Villa manager or player in my lifetime I loved more than Ron Saunders. He got us and we got him. That Newbon quote sums up his wonderful dry humour.

RIP Ron and my deepest condolences to his family and friends.

[tony scott]

For me the greatest manager I’ve seen at VP the memory’s of the swashbuckling team and the the 1st Div Champs brilliant times thank you RIP

[Allan C]

Just announced on Talksport  so very sad tonight. This colossus of a manager gave me the best moments supporting Villa. RIP Ron

[Big Dick Edwards]

RIP Ron. You gave us fans of a certain age the greatest thrill ride of our Villa supporting lives between 1974 and 1982. I'll have those memories until the day I die. Thank you for everything. A true Villa legend.

[colin69]

Really sad news. What he did for Villa was amazing. He will get a rousing applause tomorrow.

[Rudy65]

Division 2 mediocrity to European champs in 7 years plus two league cups along the way. Unbelievable. A great man, and a great manager. 76/77 team was awesome even better than 80 to 82. He will never be bettered.

Let’s get a stand named after him as a minimum.

[nodge]

Heaven's Villa XI have just appointed a new manager.

There’s a chance he’ll fall out with the chairman. RIP Ron

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

RIP Ron. You gave us fans of a certain age the greatest thrill ride of our Villa supporting lives between 1974 and 1982. I'll have those memories until the day I die. Thank you for everything. A true Villa legend.

Agreed. For those of us who became Villa fans in the early 60s Ron took us to places we’d never have dreamed of. Not just the cups or the Title, but the tough, battling years from the second division to establishing ourselves in the first. And the magnificence of the football of 76/77.

All of it leaves a permanent glow that eradicates the resignation and following years.

He made us proud again.

[FrankyH]

I got hold of a VCR DVD combi player a few years ago and have be meaning to rip the History of Aston Villa BBC video onto DVD . I actually set it up and  did it this afternoon which now feels a strange quirk of fate considering the sad news of Sir Ron passing away. 

[KRS]

Truly shocked when I heard the sad news. We’ve lost another true Villa legend. RIP Ron.

[dave shelley]

From the early sixties when the odd away draw was a rarity and seemed like a win to actually travelling to away games under Ron actually expecting to win.  Ron Saunders moved our club forward at such a rate that I was dizzy with the excitement of it all.  He showed the rest of the nation that weren't old enough to understand just exactly what Aston Villa was, and why.