Popular Post John Posted August 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 (edited) It has been reported in the Birmingham Mail that Ron Saunders has been placed in a residential care home near Solihull. He has been there since May. Ron, who is now 85, has dementia. His son Ronnie gave an interview to The Portsmouth News. Ronnie said that, “It crept up very slowly, he now struggles with every aspect of his life, everything he does.” He continued, “I saw it starting 20 odd years ago, there were certain things dad did that made us realise.” Ronnie added, “We knew his brain was quite damaged. We feel quite lucky he has lasted this long because we never thought he would. Mum couldn’t cope with him anymore his brain had gone.” The family have spoken to Dawn Astle (Geoff’s daughter) about the links between football and dementia. What a cruel illness dementia is. It hits a family so very hard to see their once strong family member become dependant on the care of others and to forget so much of their past. We really should have a Ron Saunders Stand by now. I felt that we should have had one many years ago when Ron could have been there at the ground to see it unveiled. Ron was the greatest Villa manager during my time as a Villa fan and he built our league championship and European Cup winning team. I thank him for what he did for us and my thoughts are with his family at this so difficult time. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/heartbreaking-story-one-aston-villas-15020929 Edited August 13, 2018 by John 2 4 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 Read this yesterday. What a sad state of affairs for our greatest ever manager. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DevonIsAPlaceOnEarth Posted August 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 18 minutes ago, John said: We really should have a Ron Saunders Stand by now. I felt that we should have had one many years ago when Ron could have been there at the ground to see it unveiled. This is the least we should do, and I hope the club are mindful of this. Maybe this could be brought up at the next fans consultation if it hasn’t already. 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted August 13, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 13, 2018 Sad news, hopefully he’s receiving plenty comfort and care. Always been envious of supporters who saw his teams from the mid 70’s through to the early 80’s. His record as a player for Portsmouth (their third top goal scorer of all time) and his time managing Norwich (leading them to the top flight for the first time in their history) are noteworthy enough. Villa could do with doing a little more regarding the Saunders/Barton years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 Very sad news All the best ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post danceoftheshamen Posted August 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 Without doubt the best manager we have ever had. What a team he built before he was disgracefully treated by the numpties in charge and walked. Ellis was also a disgrace for practically removing all trace of that teams success as his balloon ego couldn't cope with it presumably as he wasn't in charge at the time and instead presided over 35 years of drudgery & second ratedness which saw us descend from Champions of Europe to multiple relegation's and a couple of League cups. I personally have been waiting, and waiting...... for a team to emerge which is fit to lace the boots of that Saunders team and have seen nothing close in nearly four decades now. So best wishes to Ron and i hope the club do the right thing by naming a stand or erecting a statue of him as the guy is a legend at Aston Villa. Much more of a legend than Ellis who was like a ball and chain around the ankle of Villa for so long despite admittedly rescuing the club in his first tenure. Such a shame to see Ron and his family suffering especially with the football disease (Dementia). I can only thank him for the amazing memories i have of watching that incredible team grace the Villa Park turf and my day in Rotterdam which, although at the time we were managed by Tony Barton, was for certain Ron's team. I remember it like it was yesterday Jimmy Rimmer Kenny Swain Ken Mcnaught Allan Evans Colin Gibson Des Bremner Gordan Cowans (Sid) Dennis Mortimer (Cap't) Tony Morley Gary Shaw Peter Withe 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post AntrimBlack Posted August 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 More deserving of having his name on a stand than Dougie. 9 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveAV1 Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 28 minutes ago, danceoftheshamen said: Without doubt the best manager we have ever had. What a team he built before he was disgracefully treated by the numpties in charge and walked. Ellis was also a disgrace for practically removing all trace of that teams success as his balloon ego couldn't cope with it presumably as he wasn't in charge at the time and instead presided over 35 years of drudgery & second ratedness which saw us descend from Champions of Europe to multiple relegation's and a couple of League cups. I personally have been waiting, and waiting...... for a team to emerge which is fit to lace the boots of that Saunders team and have seen nothing close in nearly four decades now. So best wishes to Ron and i hope the club do the right thing by naming a stand or erecting a statue of him as the guy is a legend at Aston Villa. Much more of a legend than Ellis who was like a ball and chain around the ankle of Villa for so long despite admittedly rescuing the club in his first tenure. Such a shame to see Ron and his family suffering especially with the football disease (Dementia). I can only thank him for the amazing memories i have of watching that incredible team grace the Villa Park turf and my day in Rotterdam which, although at the time we were managed by Tony Barton, was for certain Ron's team. I remember it like it was yesterday Jimmy Rimmer Kenny Swain Ken Mcnaught Allan Evans Colin Gibson Des Bremner Gordan Cowans (Sid) Dennis Mortimer (Cap't) Tony Morley Gary Shaw Peter Withe You forgot the sub 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DaveAV1 Posted August 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 My heart goes out to Ron and especially his family. I lost my Mom to this cruel disease. A nurse once said to me, you mourn twice for dementia sufferers, once for the person they were and a second time when they actually pass away. She was absolutely right. Ron gave my generation of Villa fans the best moments of our football lives. He and his teams always gave 110%. Wonderful, wonderful memories. I hope that he can still recall some of them himself, as his long term memory may still be partially intact. Bless you Ron, no words could ever thank you enough. UTV. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 I'm sure many of us out there have had to witness family members suffering from dementia in their latter years. Big hugs to the Saunders family. And like a lot of us on here 81/82 is just out of reach for my memory. There's a great documentary called 'Alive Inside' out there which is an amazing film about Alzheimers, Music and Memories. Very heartwarming and yet heart wrenching at the same time. We all salute you though Mr Saunders sir. Legend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoof hearted Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 It's about time we petitioned the club to honour this great man, sad news indeed. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WakefieldVillan Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 1 hour ago, DaveAV1 said: My heart goes out to Ron and especially his family. I lost my Mom to this cruel disease. A nurse once said to me, you mourn twice for dementia sufferers, once for the person they were and a second time when they actually pass away. She was absolutely right. Ron gave my generation of Villa fans the best moments of our football lives. He and his teams always gave 110%. Wonderful, wonderful memories. I hope that he can still recall some of them himself, as his long term memory may still be partially intact. Bless you Ron, no words could ever thank you enough. UTV. I lost my mum 6 months ago to this cruel disease, so it is still very raw, there really isn't a positive, just hope he has the best care possible and my thoughts go out to him and all his family 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DaveAV1 Posted August 13, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 10 minutes ago, WakefieldVillan said: I lost my mum 6 months ago to this cruel disease, so it is still very raw, there really isn't a positive, just hope he has the best care possible and my thoughts go out to him and all his family My deepest sympathies. I try to think of all the happy times when Mom was well, which is always a good pick me up. My Mom actually came to Wembley in 1975 for the Norwich game. She had no interest at all in football, but the final was on my birthday and there was no way she was going to miss being with her son for his 12th birthday. So me and Dad had a day of, “It’s very noisy isn’t it, why does that fella keep waving his little flag, and how come the bloke in black never gets a kick!” 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 Thoughts with the Saunders family, well before my time as a fan but you discover as you grow up about him and what he did for this club. My Nan is in a dementia home and while she is being looked after, is safe, fed, watered, relatively happy and content it is still heartbreaking to see the person that bought my dad up, looked after me and my brother all the years we grew up, it looks like Nan, still occasionally says the same things that makes us laugh but it isn’t Nan anymore. It’s **** horrible. Hate dementia. For me it’s possibly worse than cancer as it’s the whole frog not realising it’s being boiled aspect. Cruel. Sad news. Wish him all the best and you just have to hope he is comfortable and safe, that is all you can do. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mottaloo Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 1 hour ago, DaveAV1 said: You forgot the sub Eammon Deacy (RIP) was a regular 12th man. Reading that team list took me back to my youth on the Holte (left side) when, if we'd lost then my whole weekend was ruined.....and I still had my homework to do on Sunday (Sorry...a bit off topic there) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted August 13, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted August 13, 2018 (edited) Sad news about a great man. It's shocking there is so little tribute to him at Villa Park. New owners should definitely rectify this. But whilst we are on the subject, where is his OBE or MBE? So many lesser people are given awards for football. This is one of the few English Managers to have won the European Cup for goodness sake. If he had managed Man United he would be a knight of the realm by now. Edit. Just realised my own stupidity . That said whilst he might not have actually been in charge, it was unquestionably his team. Edited August 13, 2018 by sidcow 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hev Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 How very sad. My thoughts are with all the family. Having lost my Mum in November to this awful thing called Dementia, I can fully sympathise. It's awful when your own parent doesn't realise that you are their child. What a very great shame for our greatest Manager and his family to have to go through this. I can only hope that Ron doesn't suffer for too long because I am sure he wouldn't want to lose all his dignity and nor does he deserve to. As Tony Butler used to say - "Prayer Mats out - Hail Saunders of the Villa " 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinRichardsonsMoustache Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 Some of these posts are really touching and totally fitting for such a massive figure in our club’s history. You’re in our thoughts, Ron. We’re a special football club - people like Ron Saunders truly understood that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mjmooney Posted August 13, 2018 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted August 13, 2018 A great man, and my all time hero. My Dad had Alzheimer's, and it's **** ing evil. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukes Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 The best Villa manager in my lifetime, and the Championship squad probably had the best TEAM ethic i've seen at any football club. Football's changed and I don't expect to ever see the likes of Ron or that team again. Sad days, thanks for the memories Ron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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