_m8 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Im going with Brian Little. He finished 4th then 5th in the league and won the league cup, a better record than any of his successors. He had an excellent team, but where it went wrong was that McGrath and Townsend left and the club didnt invest to replace them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb38 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I agree with M8. Thought under BL we were going to achieve something. Then remembered that Ellis was still in charge.. Love to know exactly what happened on the day BL resigned as I dont believe he went to VP with the idea to hand in his notice that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricella Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I must say that 4 out of 5 was ok...Graham Taylor is the one I dont like. I loved Ron Atkinsons attitude and the way he mastered the League Final against Man U. I liked Brian Little because he did good for Villa even though the play could´ve been more entertaining. I loved John Gregory because he was a really fun manager and he made the best out of the squad he had. He brought Angel and Mellberg to the club. I think he had skills... I like David O´Leary because he has a good attitude to football today and he probably do his very best under a Chairman that are ageing and getting more and more out of hand. The first full season was quite lovely to follow... The best one of these...I would go for...Big Ron. A very odd personality but with a great football mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ligs Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 How does GT have 2 votes? Are there some closet Noses here? I think arguments could be made for the other 4, but in the end I voted for Little, because after all he does walk on water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oaks Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Ron Atkinson finnished 7th and 2nd and 10th and won a League Cup. Only Villa manager to seriously chalange for the title in the Premership. And he played the best football. But he was right to get the sack when he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc1982 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 BIg Ron, he won us the Cup and finished 2nd in the Prem playing the best football i've ever seen us play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMoseley Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Close thing for me between BL and Big Ron, but BL shades it though for consistency, some cracking signings Ian Taylor being his first (what service he gave for 1m), Southgate aswell, very solid defensivley, we were never a push over, if he'd been backed properly he could have really done something. Just that 5-3-2 formation that held us back. Savo !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc1982 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 How does GT have 2 votes? Are there some closet Noses here? I think arguments could be made for the other 4, but in the end I voted for Little, because after all he does walk on water I think they may be confusing his first term with his second, but if his first term was included in this poll he'd be my number one choice because he did more for Villa than any other manager since. How he managed to turn around the sinking ship that was Aston Villa, get us promoted with a bunch of journey men (with a couple of gems as well) and turn us into title challengers was beyond me. He's a Villa legend and always will be because of what he did for us, I just wish he hadn't of blotted his copy book when he came back for the second time, but still who in their right mind would turn down the Villa job if offered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 12, 2005 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2005 Brian Little walks on Water. What's the point of the other names on the list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorenzo Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 This might seem a little shallow, but compare the strikers they brought in: GT; Hmm, crouch and allback?! JG; Collymore when he wasn't too upset, and Angel, both class acts but inconsitant BL; Savo and Tommy Johnson. I quite liked TJ, played with his heart on his sleeve. DO'L; None really, does Carlton Cole count? Big ron takes it for me, for one simple reason, Deano and Dalian Atkinson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 BL bought Collywobbles. And you forgot that GT bought Dwight...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RantinRob Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Sir Brian Of Little Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_B Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Has to be Gregory for me. Despite a few piss poor runs you cant argue with the consistency of performance from one season to the next. During his time as manager is the only time I was sure that top six-eight was where we were going to stay forever. I liked the football we played under BFR, and the title run was close, although i think he screwed up by insisting on playing Dalian with new signing Deano, when I thought Yorkie would be a better bet. Bl I liked, but I cant get that image of him as a broken man out of my mind, as someone who had completely lost the plot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_m8 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Share Posted January 12, 2005 I didn't have time to go into this earlier but here it is: BFR: Bought some very good players to the club (and a couple of no-hopers). Season when we finished 2nd saw us play some outstanding football at times. Winning the league cup was good as well and the victory over Inter Milan one I'll never forget. I'd put him 2nd Brian Little: As I said above I think he was our best (premiership) manager. Although he only had 2 full seasons the team he had was excellent. Ugo, McGrath and Southgate were superb at the back, Draper and Townsend bordered on world class in midfield, Yorke was fantastic upfront. His mistakes were buying Curcic and Collymore but at the time both were welcomed. I have him 1st John Gregory: Started very well indeed, and his first 30 games or so were league winning form. Didnt sustain it though and he had too many bad buys. Also had a very authoritarian style which I didnt like. Would put him 4th Graham Taylor: We played better football than 16th place suggested, but really lets just remember him for his 1st spell at the club. Sadly would put him 5th based on his 2nd spell David O'Leary: Last season was impressive and he would have won the poll a few months ago, but a few doubts have been raised after our recent slump. He could still go on from here and be an excellent Villa manager but on the other hand if results don't improve serious questions will ahve to be raised. I;d say hes 3rd for now. I think I might finally have started a thread people are interested in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted January 12, 2005 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2005 Got to be Little for me. Or as the old man calls him 'The Pudding'. I think it's a reference to his hairstyle as a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Brian Little; genuinely made me excited about being a Villa fan; the decline was sad, very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted January 12, 2005 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2005 His mistakes were buying Curcic and Collymore Your not wrong there. Remember when he tried to play Dorke, Collywobble and Savo up front at the same time? Disaster. Didn't we get tonked 5 or 6 by someone (Blackburn?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_av Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 How does GT have 2 votes? Are there some closet Noses here? I think arguments could be made for the other 4, but in the end I voted for Little, because after all he does walk on water I think they may be confusing his first term with his second, but if his first term was included in this poll he'd be my number one choice because he did more for Villa than any other manager since. How he managed to turn around the sinking ship that was Aston Villa, get us promoted with a bunch of journey men (with a couple of gems as well) and turn us into title challengers was beyond me. He's a Villa legend and always will be because of what he did for us, I just wish he hadn't of blotted his copy book when he came back for the second time, but still who in their right mind would turn down the Villa job if offered? Too right AVFC1982 - the return was a mistake, but if it wasn't for GT we could have been wiped off the map. Ellis has a lot to thank this man for, and so do all Villa Fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricella Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Yes but that was another era. I´m fully aware of GT´s importance for Villa...but it was really a joke the second time around. Its sad for him...and for the club. It was although a good judgement to resign...and to be honest...he didnt jump at the idea to start a manager career at the first place. Ellis talked him into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted January 12, 2005 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2005 It was although a good judgement to resign Agree with that. Oh, and welcome to VT Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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