The end of the line - Paul Lambert

[Ian.]

Paul Lambert. Shudder, what a terrible manager and dickhead he was. I was too young, probably only 8-10, but who was worse, McNeil, Turner or Lambert?

[Exeter 77]

I think Turner and Lambert were out of their depth whereas McNeil didn't seem to care very much.

[dave.woodhall]

I think Turner and Lambert were out of their depth whereas McNeil didn't seem to care very much.

Everyone in football knew McNeill was off to Celtic at the end of the season. Manchester City were on the verge of sacking g him when we paid them compensation. Then was paid him off a few months later when he'd have resigned anyway. All hail the master businessman.

[Exeter 77]

I think Turner and Lambert were out of their depth whereas McNeil didn't seem to care very much.

Everyone in football knew McNeill was off to Celtic at the end of the season. Manchester City were on the verge of sacking g him when we paid them compensation. Then was paid him off a few months later when he'd have resigned anyway. All hail the master businessman.

I still have no idea how Doug managed to appoint SGT after his previous two aberrations.

[KevinGage]

In a weekend when we might clinch back to back CL qualification it's quite jarring to see this berk being high on the list of hot topics here. Or a topic of conversation in any way, shape or form.

Personally I'd prefer to consign his shit football and shit beard to the dustbin of history and never speak about 2011-2018 again, for that matter. But maybe some of you find it cathartic.

[SoccerHQ]

Still holds the record for our heaviest ever top flight defeat. 8 bloody nil.

Its the record defeat for any competitive Villa game in any competition, and was so nearly 9-0 if not for Guzan saving a last minute penalty. That winter outdid anything McNeill could do, 8-0 at Chelsea, then 2 consecutive home 4-0 and 3-0 losses to Spurs & Wigan in a couple of days.  And out of the cups in the new year at Millwall and 4th tier Bradford (over 2 legs). 

But we pick ourselves up and go again!

We were actually doing o.k up to that game. Had just won 3-1 at Anfield and also had a 0-0 v Arsenal so we were slowly improving and the front 3 was starting to cause some serious damage. 4-1 win at Norwich in league cup QFs and Wembley was a near certainty playing a league two side over two legs...

Even at the end of that season we finished strongly winning 6-1 v Sunderland and at Norwich again so that gave a feel we could at least push into mid table the next season especially with Benteke signing a new deal.

Next 18 months were awful. Tonev one of the worst players I've ever seen for us and he was hyped up as some elite player when he signed which shows the difference to what we generally sign now.

[Villa in Denmark]

I think Turner and Lambert were out of their depth whereas McNeil didn't seem to care very much.

Everyone in football knew McNeill was off to Celtic at the end of the season. Manchester City were on the verge of sacking g him when we paid them compensation. Then was paid him off a few months later when he'd have resigned anyway. All hail the master businessman.

I still have no idea how Doug managed to appoint SGT after his previous two aberrations.

I thought accepted wisdom was that SGT  pretty much appointed himself.

[dave.woodhall]

Sir Graham knew he had three years to be successful at a big club to get the England job and that he'd taken Watford as far as he could. Dick Taylor was his best friend in football from their Scunthorpe days and had a shop on Witton Road. He had a word with Doug and Sir Graham duly appointed the Villa to be managed by him.