Quote from: cdbullyweefan on December 09, 2019, 09:01:45 PMI don't see why anyone would dislike Spink. He is an all-time great who was vital to the most important win in our history.Never heard a bad word about him.
I don't see why anyone would dislike Spink. He is an all-time great who was vital to the most important win in our history.
Quote from: Oscar Arce on December 09, 2019, 11:25:53 AMI have this morning emailed the club at fancomplaints@avfc.co.uk to express my anger and disappointment at the Ron Saunders shambolic 'tribute', so I suggest anyone with the same opinion as me might do the same?Maybe we'd get the club to do something properly?I did the same.
I have this morning emailed the club at fancomplaints@avfc.co.uk to express my anger and disappointment at the Ron Saunders shambolic 'tribute', so I suggest anyone with the same opinion as me might do the same?Maybe we'd get the club to do something properly?
Complex Ron Saunders made Aston Villa a top club againVilla began to win trophies once more after the appointment of SaundersIt may seem strange now, but the appointment of Ron Saunders as Aston Villa manager on June 4, 1974 was met with a collective shrug by fans. Most had fallen in love with the idea of Brian Clough taking over and his public pronouncements hadn’t cooled their ardour. “Any manager in Britain would be interested in the Villa job — Villa, Liverpool and Manchester United are the top three clubs in the country,” Clough said.But when Cloughie left Brighton & Hove Albion it was for Elland Road. Sir Alf Ramsey, newly unemployed after 11 years as England manager, was touted and although chairman Doug Ellis met him, Ramsey was not overly enthusiastic. He did, though, perform one service that should earn him the gratitude of Villa fans: he recommended Saunders. From that day in 1974, Saunders reshaped the club in his image and over almost eight years became the most successful manager in Villa history.On Saturday, the club went into mourning after Saunders, 87, passed away.He won the League Cup and promotion in his first season, the League Cup again in 1977 and the Championship,Villa’s first in 71 years, in 1981. He left in circumstances that remain largely unexplained in February 1982, but it was unquestionably his team that lifted the European Cup three months later.Saunders’s stature among Villa fans is akin to Bill Shankly at Liverpool or Matt Busby at Manchester United His reputation even survived him taking over at Birmingham City soon after leaving Villa. On his arrival, Villa were a club steeped in tradition, with a devoted fanbase and one of the country’s best grounds, but most silverware had come when Queen Victoria was on the throne. Under Saunders, Villa again became one of the leading clubs in the country.To the outside world and to the media, he was a stern figure; he did not play the PR game. Like all great managers, he could be ruthless, but he was fiercely loyal to those he felt he could depend upon. Perhaps his complex character was best summed up by Chris Nicholl, one of his former captains. “He was the best manager I ever played under,” he said. “He taught me so much about the game — but he could be a bastard.”Fitness, organisation and a strong work ethic formed his tactical approach but his teams were not joyless. The careers of Brian Little, Gordon Cowans and Tony Morley proved that he knew flair was as important as toil. He and Ellis were often at loggerheads, but in November 1979 Ellis was forced out after a boardroom battle and Saunders was free to carry on building a team to conquer Europe.If Ellis had won a shareholders’ vote — and it was close — the manager would have been sacked and the title and European Cup never been won. And Villa Park would not have stood in tribute yesterday to one of the club’s greatest figures.
From The Times:QuoteComplex Ron Saunders made Aston Villa a top club againVilla began to win trophies once more after the appointment of SaundersIt may seem strange now, but the appointment of Ron Saunders as Aston Villa manager on June 4, 1974 was met with a collective shrug by fans. Most had fallen in love with the idea of Brian Clough taking over and his public pronouncements hadn’t cooled their ardour. “Any manager in Britain would be interested in the Villa job — Villa, Liverpool and Manchester United are the top three clubs in the country,” Clough said.But when Cloughie left Brighton & Hove Albion it was for Elland Road. Sir Alf Ramsey, newly unemployed after 11 years as England manager, was touted and although chairman Doug Ellis met him, Ramsey was not overly enthusiastic. He did, though, perform one service that should earn him the gratitude of Villa fans: he recommended Saunders. From that day in 1974, Saunders reshaped the club in his image and over almost eight years became the most successful manager in Villa history.On Saturday, the club went into mourning after Saunders, 87, passed away.He won the League Cup and promotion in his first season, the League Cup again in 1977 and the Championship,Villa’s first in 71 years, in 1981. He left in circumstances that remain largely unexplained in February 1982, but it was unquestionably his team that lifted the European Cup three months later.Saunders’s stature among Villa fans is akin to Bill Shankly at Liverpool or Matt Busby at Manchester United His reputation even survived him taking over at Birmingham City soon after leaving Villa. On his arrival, Villa were a club steeped in tradition, with a devoted fanbase and one of the country’s best grounds, but most silverware had come when Queen Victoria was on the throne. Under Saunders, Villa again became one of the leading clubs in the country.To the outside world and to the media, he was a stern figure; he did not play the PR game. Like all great managers, he could be ruthless, but he was fiercely loyal to those he felt he could depend upon. Perhaps his complex character was best summed up by Chris Nicholl, one of his former captains. “He was the best manager I ever played under,” he said. “He taught me so much about the game — but he could be a bastard.”Fitness, organisation and a strong work ethic formed his tactical approach but his teams were not joyless. The careers of Brian Little, Gordon Cowans and Tony Morley proved that he knew flair was as important as toil. He and Ellis were often at loggerheads, but in November 1979 Ellis was forced out after a boardroom battle and Saunders was free to carry on building a team to conquer Europe.If Ellis had won a shareholders’ vote — and it was close — the manager would have been sacked and the title and European Cup never been won. And Villa Park would not have stood in tribute yesterday to one of the club’s greatest figures.
Quote from: Villan For Life on December 10, 2019, 09:03:11 AMFrom The Times:QuoteComplex Ron Saunders made Aston Villa a top club againVilla began to win trophies once more after the appointment of SaundersIt may seem strange now, but the appointment of Ron Saunders as Aston Villa manager on June 4, 1974 was met with a collective shrug by fans. Most had fallen in love with the idea of Brian Clough taking over and his public pronouncements hadn’t cooled their ardour. “Any manager in Britain would be interested in the Villa job — Villa, Liverpool and Manchester United are the top three clubs in the country,” Clough said.But when Cloughie left Brighton & Hove Albion it was for Elland Road. Sir Alf Ramsey, newly unemployed after 11 years as England manager, was touted and although chairman Doug Ellis met him, Ramsey was not overly enthusiastic. He did, though, perform one service that should earn him the gratitude of Villa fans: he recommended Saunders. From that day in 1974, Saunders reshaped the club in his image and over almost eight years became the most successful manager in Villa history.On Saturday, the club went into mourning after Saunders, 87, passed away.He won the League Cup and promotion in his first season, the League Cup again in 1977 and the Championship,Villa’s first in 71 years, in 1981. He left in circumstances that remain largely unexplained in February 1982, but it was unquestionably his team that lifted the European Cup three months later.Saunders’s stature among Villa fans is akin to Bill Shankly at Liverpool or Matt Busby at Manchester United His reputation even survived him taking over at Birmingham City soon after leaving Villa. On his arrival, Villa were a club steeped in tradition, with a devoted fanbase and one of the country’s best grounds, but most silverware had come when Queen Victoria was on the throne. Under Saunders, Villa again became one of the leading clubs in the country.To the outside world and to the media, he was a stern figure; he did not play the PR game. Like all great managers, he could be ruthless, but he was fiercely loyal to those he felt he could depend upon. Perhaps his complex character was best summed up by Chris Nicholl, one of his former captains. “He was the best manager I ever played under,” he said. “He taught me so much about the game — but he could be a bastard.”Fitness, organisation and a strong work ethic formed his tactical approach but his teams were not joyless. The careers of Brian Little, Gordon Cowans and Tony Morley proved that he knew flair was as important as toil. He and Ellis were often at loggerheads, but in November 1979 Ellis was forced out after a boardroom battle and Saunders was free to carry on building a team to conquer Europe.If Ellis had won a shareholders’ vote — and it was close — the manager would have been sacked and the title and European Cup never been won. And Villa Park would not have stood in tribute yesterday to one of the club’s greatest figures.Great read thanks for posting. I knew about the clash of personalities between Ellis and Saunders but i didn't know that nugget. If Ellis had won the shareholders vote Saunders would have been sacked and we would never of won the title and the european cup? What a momentous occasion that vote was in our history. And what a close call. Ellis must've been seething as he waited for his chance to get back in the big chair at Villa Park so he could dismantle the team that Saunders built. Mr Aston Villa? Do me a favour. While we're at it forget renaming the North Stand and take down the Doug Ellis stand signs and rename it the Ron Saunders stand. Give Ron the last laugh. It would be far more popular with the fans too.
Remember the Smashy'n'Nicey finale where they raced to resign before they were sacked? That would have been those two the day after the vote if Doug had won.