Dean Smith - reflection & appreciation

[Demitri_C]

Take note grealish thats how you do you do a farewell speech.

Man what a bloke. Classy.

For me a legend for saving us. Even of it never worked out.

Little smith then MON for me since little was appointed

[placeforparks]

genuinely sad to see dean leave.

the second half of 2018/19 was when this club finally healed after a decade of dross and mismanagement.

absolutely loved having villa fans as manager and captain of our club and it was a special time to be a villa fan. just a shame that we didn't get to share some of the great moments last season.

[Virgil Caine]

I know its a bad habit to compare and contrast but when thinking of all the good, bad and ugly managers we have had in my lifetime I would, without hesitation, put Dean Smith in the Top 5 Villa Managers since 1957,  where he will keep company with Ron Saunders, Graham Taylor, He who walks on water, and BFR.

[walsall villain]

I know its a bad habit to compare and contrast but when thinking of all the good, bad and ugly managers we have had in my lifetime I would, without hesitation, put Dean Smith in the Top 5 Villa Managers since 1957,  where he will keep company with Ron Saunders, Graham Taylor, He who walks on water, and BFR.

My first game was 1960 so I have seen Villa play under 25 managers. Your 5 would be my 5 too with John Gregory not far behind.

[aldridgeboy]

Dignified and classy. Makes it all that little bit more sad.

[ChicagoLion]

I know its a bad habit to compare and contrast but when thinking of all the good, bad and ugly managers we have had in my lifetime I would, without hesitation, put Dean Smith in the Top 5 Villa Managers since 1957,  where he will keep company with Ron Saunders, Graham Taylor, He who walks on water, and BFR.

My first game was 1960 so I have seen Villa play under 25 managers. Your 5 would be my 5 too with John Gregory not far behind.

Vic Crowe?

[walsall villain]

I know its a bad habit to compare and contrast but when thinking of all the good, bad and ugly managers we have had in my lifetime I would, without hesitation, put Dean Smith in the Top 5 Villa Managers since 1957,  where he will keep company with Ron Saunders, Graham Taylor, He who walks on water, and BFR.

My first game was 1960 so I have seen Villa play under 25 managers. Your 5 would be my 5 too with John Gregory not far behind.

Vic Crowe?

Not one of my 5 favourites but did a good job when we were in a right mess after Tommy Docherty. So 5 of those 7 names had a Villa connection before being appointed 🤔

[cdward]

Hopefully we look back at Dean Smiths time at Aston Villa and identify that he laid the solid foundations for the club to build on.
He is right in saying that he has left us in a better position than when he came, that's obvious just on league position, but the whole core of the club has improved under his leadership.
Let's hope the next manager continues to make those improvements.

PS. the UTV sign off, we will never have another manager who "gets us" the way Dean does.

[jwarry]

Yes and that’s why it’s so sad

[ClarrieBlue]

Can’t help feeling Jack really did fuck him over royally, and for what? He’s already a benchwarmer and Dean has lost his job
[/quote
Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't he'd say that part of the reason for leaving was to work with the best coach in the world or something like that. Well they can't both be can they ?

[ClarrieBlue]

Can’t help feeling Jack really did fuck him over royally, and for what? He’s already a benchwarmer and Dean has lost his job

Exactly. His tweet was pathetic.

Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't he'd say that part of the reason for leaving was to work with the best coach in the world or something like that. Well they can't both be can they ?

[ClarrieBlue]

24 hours down the line and I still find it hard to believe he's not our Head Coach anymore. I've just been on the official app checking tickets and there's photos of him everywhere still. I know I'm a bit of an old fool but I had a lump in my throat looking at them. He made it special to go down the Villa again for me after all the years of dross and I'm sure many of the great games we won during that time will be talked about for years. The last 3 years have been great and I'm sure in years to come they will be seen as something of a golden period similar to the old Third Division and Saunders eras. None of us know what's coming next but whatever it is, I think a little bit of Villa's soul disappeared yesterday. Maybe we were spoiled in having a die hard fan as manager and in spite of everything I want the club to carry on improving and get into Europe etc but I keep thinking it will be with DS which of course it wont. I didn't expect anything other than a class statement and as I said yesterday I hope that eventually when his managerial career is over, Dean will become an ambassador for the club much like Sir Brian or Ian Taylor. We can't knock the owners after all they've done but I'm not sure they realise quite how much many of us had taken this bloke into our hearts. I didn't until he was sacked yesterday.

[VILLA MOLE]

24 hours down the line and I still find it hard to believe he's not our Head Coach anymore. I've just been on the official app checking tickets and there's photo's of him everywhere still. I know I'm a bit of an old fool but I had a lump in my throat looking at them. He made it special to go down the Villa again for me after all the years of dross and I'm sure many of the great games we won during thath time will be talked about for years. The last 3 years have been great and I'm sure in years to come they will be seen as something of a golden period similar to the old Third Division and Saunders eras. None of us know what's coming next but whatever it is, I think a little bit of Villa's soul disappeared yesterday. Maybe we were spoiled in having a die hard fan as manager and in spite of everything I want the club to carry on improving and get into Europe etc but I keep thinking it will be with DS which of course it wont. I didn't expect anything other than a class statement and as I said yesterday I hope that eventually when his managerial career is over, Dean will become an ambassador for the club much like Sir Brian or Ian Taylor. We can't knock the owners after all they've done but I'm not sure they realise quite how much many of us had taken this bloke into our hearts. I didn't until he was sacked yesterday.

very well put

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

We don't know what the future holds for Villa or Dean Smith. Maybe he will be bringing a team back to VP in the future ? Maybe we push on, he pushes on and 3, 5, 10 years down the line he returns to manage us again adding to a recently enhanced trophy cabinet.
As the late great Greavsie said "It's  a funny old game".

[Sexual Ealing]

Take note grealish thats how you do you do a farewell speech.

Man what a bloke. Classy.

For me a legend for saving us. Even of it never worked out.

Little smith then MON for me since little was appointed

It did work out.