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Have we ever had it so good?


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by avfcinwales

Potentially no.

In my long time as a Villa fan, the only era to compare has to be when Ron Bendall owned the club.

As we all know he controlled the club through the most successful years of modern times, he had a decent manager in charge, he helped build a decent team, and made continued improvements to the ground.

Sure I expect some pratts to blurb on about bribes and dishonesty but Bendall gave enough backing to Saunders, to build that great winning side, we all rave on about.

These days we have the new dream team now fully in place and its hard to find fault so far, in fact its hard to see how it could realistically be much better.

Its too early by far to suggest the same end result will be achieved especially quickly, but so far there is nothing to hint it can't be anything but good times ahead.

In fact if you look hard into the past 50 years its hard to see a setup as suitable for the times. As a club and this is based purely on my memory not Lerwill's facts, we have never had such a complete setup, ever.

Even under Bendall, Saunders had battles for players finance, he missed out on Rodney Marsh and others because their wages would be too much, but he found alternatives and we prospered, the ground was never filled, we never fully benefited from the glory, achieved, but we won things, we won and won.

Today soccer is a bigger business, its media rich, there are more pressures, there has been a huge influx of foreign players, its impossible nowadays to build a successful UK based side I'd suggest, and that needs a different mentality from the top right down.

That's why we are so lucky, so incredibly fortunate, that Randy Lerner took us on. He's built himself, in 3 months a superb looking mix of high powered businessmen full of modern ideas with top level experience.

If they can't deliver there's no hope.

When you look elsewhere in the Premiership, even Europe, no one can touch us apart from the big few and some would question Man Utd have it as good, although they do have the huge experience and base of their past success as an edge, as Chelsea have their owners money.

We already have a very decent manager, with a track record he's maintained so far, and as long as he gets the right backing he should continue to do so, its hard to believe but we really haven't ever had it potentially this good, even ever.

Wonder how many fans have really appreciated how big the potential within the club now is, how big the potential opportunity is, how big we could become.

Will they achieve it?

Can't see why not can you ?

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I've only ever known the Ellis era so I can't compare against the Bendall era. Purely by reading back, I think you're right that we've never had it so good and the potential is there. I can't wait for the next 2 transfer windows so they can really show their might.

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You have to be careful here. Due to the time scales that Ellis held the office of chief of Villa you cant say that all of the times were as bad. Football has evolved massively during that time and like JG said Ellis didn't change with the times (the corner shop quote being a great example).

Ellis's biggest fault was his apparent inability to take the club forward especially during the latter years. It may well have been the same if the Bendall's had remained in charge for son long. I think that's why the fans can see with Lerner and co, on how the club can be changed to cater for the expectations of the fans and the club in general to succeed.

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That is an excellent article Malcolm. While I wouldn't go as far asying there aren't many clubs that can touch us as far as the setup is concerned. There is plenty of catching up to do with the likes of the big 4 in England and the other big clubs around Europe this is one step in the right direction.

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Sure I expect some pratts to blurb on about bribes and dishonesty but Bendall gave enough backing to Saunders, to build that great winning side, we all rave on about.

Pratts? Yes I guess Bendall gave Saunders the kind of backing that Ellis never did but...

Why did Ron Saunders leave? I know Ellis tried every which way to get Saunders out but Bendall was chairman at the time Saunders left, not Ellis.

My take was always "Ellis? Bendall? Sod the pair of them."

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That and Bendall withdrew the offer of the rolling contract which Saunders had been after. But the rolling contract was probably withdrawn at the behest of Ellis anyway in a clearing the decks for the new owner kind of way (and if that doesnt ring any bells with events of the summer...................)

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Ron left primarily because he knew Ellis was returning and couldn't work with the man

You have said that before and its always intrigued me, because when he left some of us had always believed it so

And I think, though Tricky may correct me, that he has that from the horses mouth so to speak

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That is an excellent article Malcolm. While I wouldn't go as far as saying there aren't many clubs that can touch us as far as the set-up is concerned. There is plenty of catching up to do with the likes of the big 4 in England and the other big clubs around Europe this is one step in the right direction.

Agreed on all points, Ali.

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and as long as he gets the right backing he should continue to do so

Think so? Lets hope.

You think not?

Anyone can do magic with tons of money. Lets hope he impresses us in other areas aswell.

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Anyone can do magic with tons of money. Lets hope he impresses us in other areas aswell.

erm.......... DOL...................Leeds................

Tarj theres plenty of managers who've not been able to handle large budgets

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Gotta hate those CL matches dont you? Especially the ones before the finals itself. Then again, its obviously DOLs fault that he managed a football team, which board was financially inept.

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Anyone can do magic with tons of money. Lets hope he impresses us in other areas aswell.

Gotta hate those CL matches dont you? Especially the ones before the finals itself. Then again, its obviously DOLs fault that he managed a football team, which board was financially inept.

Sorry but those two statements are a contradiction to my mind

First of all anyone can manage with pots of cash

The when someone gets pots of cash and fails its the boards fault

DOL got in the CL without the pots of cash, the huge spending came after the one succesful campaign - he then failed when he spent the money

I'm not saying the board was competant, but they did provide him with lots of cash which he then managed to fail with

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