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9 unusual facts about Ron Saunders


Al Saunders

Saunders was born in the north London suburb of Hendon as part of a sporting family; his great-uncle, Ron Saunders, played soccer for a number of teams in The Football League and later became a manager, winning honours with Norwich City and Aston Villa.

Don Dorman

Dorman left Birmingham when Ron Saunders arrived as manager and took up the post of chief scout at Aston Villa.

History of Aston Villa F.C.

Ron Saunders took over in 1973 and this heralded the start of a period of success for Villa that would see Villa win the First Division and the 1982 European Cup Final under Tony Barton.

Jones P. Madeira

He was part of a team under UNESCO Consultant and Broadcast Executive Hugh Cholomondeley of Guyana, and including fellow Trinidadian broadcaster Dik Henderson, Guyanese broadcaster Ron Saunders, and Guyanese diplomat Evan Drayton, responsible for promoting the Caribbean integration movement.

Keith Leonard

A knee injury forced his retirement in 1976 and prompted manager Ron Saunders to sign Andy Gray from Dundee United as his replacement.

Kevin Steggles

He then left Portman Road in February 1987 and spent the rest of the season in the Second Division with West Bromwich Albion, playing 14 league games for Ron Saunders's "Baggies".

Neil Whatmore

When Ron Saunders took over as manager, both players fell from favour, but Whatmore stayed another year, some of which he spent on loan at Oxford United and for three months at Bolton, before being sold to Oxford United.

Norman Bodell

This situation was repeated four years later when Smith's dismissal in February 1982 left Bodell as caretaker for two matches until the appointment of Ron Saunders.

Tony Morley

He was seen as a wayward genius but was moulded by manager Ron Saunders into one of the most dangerous players around.



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