JOHN WRAGG recalls when an unheralded manager guided Aston Villa to European Cup glory…

JOHN WRAGG
ASTON VILLA

Low-profile: Tony Barton

THERE were no mobile phones, internet or Twitter back in February 1982 so to tell a colleague the stunning news that Ron Saunders had quit as Aston Villa manager, I had to get the manager to flash up a message on the Odeon cinema screen.
I knew Mike and his wife had gone to the pictures that night. “Would Mr Mike Beale of the Daily Star please contact the cinema manager.” He did. Then he rang me.
Neither of us could believe it, but the...