Vic Crowe January 1970 - May 1974

Vic Crowe's service with Villa, as player, coach and manager, spanned 17 years. In his playing career -with Villa, Peterborough and for Wales, for whom he appeared in 16 internationals - Crowe was a dominant wing-half, strong and resolute, and a player with the will to win.

He skippered both his League clubs and his country and altogether appeared in more than 400 competitive matches.

As a manager he took Villa to the 1971 League Cup Final, where they lost to Spurs; he steered Villa back into the Second Division in 1972; and then built the side which was later to carry off the League Cup and regain the club's First Division status.

After leaving Villa in 1974, Crowe had a second spell in the NASL with Portland Timbers (he had earlier coached Atlanta Chiefs), and then returned to England to coach in non-League soccer. In 1988 he was appointed advisory-manager of Bilston Town.

Ron Saunders June 1974 - February 1982

During his playing career, which spanned 13 seasons, Ron Saunders, a hard-running, enthusiastic and determined centre-forward, scored more than 220 goals in 455 senior appearances, including 201 goals in 390 League outings.

An England Youth international when with Everton, he gained a Third Division Championship medal with Portsmouth in 1962; and for the Fratton Park club, Saunders netted a credible 139 goals in 234 League outings in six years. His playing days also saw him serve Gillingham, Tonbridge, Watford and Charlton.

As a manager, he led Norwich to the Second Division title in 1972 and to the League Cup Final a year later; Villa to League Cup successes in 1975 and 1977, to promotion from Division Two in 1975, and then First Division Championship glory in 1981.

With Birmingham City, he saw promotion from Division Two in 1985. Saunders, who began his managerial career with Yeovil and moved into League football with Oxford United, also spent an unhappy five months as manager of Manchester City before being sacked after City lost the 1974 League Cup Final to Wolves.

In 1987, Saunders was dismissed as manager of West Brom. When he left The Hawthorns he had completed 36 years connected with professional football in a career which had encompassed 11 League clubs.

In 1975, after Villa had won promotion and the League Cup, Ron Saunders was named Manager of the Year.