One of the first instances of ‘player power’ that I remember, I was in the last year of Junior school.
Big Malc brought new training techniques to the club and different tactics from continental europe, based on skill with a cutting edge. Joe Mercer moulded this all into a tight knit unit.
Ron wanted them running through brick walls and being super fit, as is the norm nowadays and the old guard weren’t having it, especially as the most influential players were perhaps between the ages of 28 and 33 (bell, Pardoe, Oakes, lee, summerbee, Law, Marsh). Tony Book was in his last season and interim manager after Johnny Hart became ill and Book was just about to retire as a player.
Yeah, Saunders didn’t like Marsh and I reckon Saunders and Franny didn’t see eye to eye either as he was ‘disappointed’ to be transferred by the club (don’t think he mentioned names) to Derby. This could have been Swales though as there was something to do with a transfer fee and it was either an honour to be given a free transfer for long service or by getting a free he might have got a better signing on fee at Derby. There’s reference to it in the Lee, Bell, Summerbee video.
Anyway, the team wouldn’t play for him and were only just above the relegation zone on goal average when Swales ditched him and put Tony Book back in charge. My Dad and Uncle didn’t take to him and used to moan that he was still ‘crap at City’ when we were driving home from Maine Rd. and Villa had won. That was until they won the league.
Memories of a boy in the mid 70’s.
Great manager for Villa though, R.I.P. Ron