RON SAUNDERS

Born:    xx/xx 19xx   


Record:  Year      Club                App Gls
                   Everton
                   Tonbridge
                   Gillingham
                   Portsmouth
                   Watford
                   Charlton


Manager: 19xx-1969 Yeowil
         1969-1969 Oxford
         1969-1973 Norwich 
         1973-1974 Manchester City
         1974-1982 Aston Villa
         1982-1986 Birmingham City
         1986-1987 West Bromwich Albion

Ron Saunders was Peter Swales first appointment as City manager. He accepted the job on November 22nd 1973, two months after Johnny Hart stepped down due to illness, and was fired by Swales on April 12th 1974.

During his short spell as manager he led City to the 1974 Wembley League Cup final, a 1-2 defeat by the hands of Wolverhampton. Incredibly enough Saunders had been the manager of the League Cup runners up the previous year also (Norwich City), but in 1975 it was third time lucky for Saunders as he led Aston Villa to victory in the League Cup.

Saunders became manager of Aston Villa in June 1974, where he won the League Cup twice (1975 and 77) and the League in 1980/81, and went runners-up in the league in 1974/75. He resigned in January 1982 after contract negotiations broke down, and moved across town to Birmingham where he stayed for another 4 years, moving between Division 1 and 2 with the "Blues". In 1986 it was time for him to take over the third big club in Birmingham namely West Bromwich Albion. He stayed there until he was dismissed in 1987, and after that he left football management for good.

In his brief encounter at City Saunders he managed to take us to Wembley and will also be remembered for bringing in one of the all time greatest City players - Dennis Tueart.