Tommy Docherty RIP

[steamer]

I posted on the wrong thread
He got the adrenalin flowing through the club, we were in the news
Always ready with a quote, Respectful of the club and its traditions.
I have the Mercury pull out from the away game at s,hampton then that victory at home.
 I can picture him on the pitch with Doug,
All around Brum graffitti artists sprayed walls, Doc is God

[kippaxvilla2]

Ah bless him one of life’s true characters.  I went to see him at a brmb sports forum and he was hugely entertaining.  His stories about Doug when he was villa manager were brilliant.

He said he came back off holidays once after the summer break and Doug had signed three players for him without consulting him.

I remember when he was making his way to the stage someone I think it might have been Tom Ross was holding up prompt cards for the Audience to shout out the name of every club he had managed.

Imagine pep enjoying that as he walked onto a hastily put together stage at the Gaiety in Smethwick!

[tony scott]

I remember the excitement when it was announced the Doc was going to manage us compare it to today it was like The Albion getting Jurgen Klopp. RIP

[SoccerHQ]

RIP Mao Tse-Tung!

One of the game's great characters in 70s and 80s, what a life he had.

Can remember being at Bodymoor Heath years back and Doug's AV1 rolls royce rolled out. Plenty of people went to get his autograph but I noticed someone in passenger seat and had a look and it was Tommy Doc. Signed and posed for photo etc, might try and go find it.

One of those I thought would live forever and possibly outlive the Queen. R.I.P.

[cdbearsfan]

RIP.

[The Edge]

RIP The Doc.

[LeeB]

RIP.

There's something to be said for this kind of populist football manager, clubs need them every so often. He took both us and Man Utd down, but is still held in high regard at both.

[ROBBO]

My memory may be deceiving me but on at his frst home game didn't he walk around the pitch wallowing in the fans adoration. It was exiting while it lasted.

[Allan C]

The Doc was the manager when I went to my first game. It’s where it started for me so I remember him fondly  RIP Doc

[ChicagoLion]

I played for his local pub against a Docherty Best X1 including many ex pros.
He was a real character and very popular with the locals.
R.I.P. The Doc.

[Godfrey Brian]

Sad news even at such an age. He injected such an energy into the club along with Ellis and Matthews. That first half season was great. I was 10 and suddenly Villa were in the papers and The Doc provided a belief I hadn't seen before.It couldn't last of course.

[Luffbralion]

We were in such a wretched state when Doug Ellis/Matthews took over and had the good sense to appoint a charismatic Scotsman who immediately transformed the mood and image of the club. I was there for the Boxing Day victory over Cardiff on a bone hard pitch and the next month in the Holte for the cup defeat of Southampton in front of 59000!

After he had rescued us from relegation and made some astute summer signings, including Bruce Rioch, we were favourites to go up next year (1969-70). I never understood why it went so badly wrong. The Doc was sacked and we went down anyway.

Hitch hiking back to Brum after an away defeat at Blackpool near the end of that miserable campaign, we got picked up by Doug Ellis in his Roller.  He confessed that sacking Tommy D was the hardest decision he had ever made.

However, the fans were back in droves and belief was there, despite looming relegation. As mentioned earlier this was the start of the journey that culminated at Rotterdam.

RIP Tommy and thanks for the memories.

[Brend'Watkins]

After they (Man u) had won the 2nd division and we finished runners up I remember him being asked about any game during that season they didn’t deserve to win. He mentioned that our game against them was the one.  He was then pulled up on this as it intimated we should then have been champions as we were only a few points behind them. Some back tracking ensued. Maybe somebody will remember this in greater detail.

[spartacuss]

I still have fond memories of the Holte chanting:
"Doc - Doc - Doc-her-ty!"
And the opposition fans - without missing a beat:
"Who - the - fuckin' - hell - is - he?"

RIP Tommy.

[Pete3206]