Saunders succeeded Vic Crowe in the Villa hotseat in June 1974 and quickly laid the foundations for the most successful spell in Villa's modern history.

He steered the side to promotion from the Second Division and a League Cup triumph in his first season.

There was better to come though and Saunders went on to secure an even greater prize in 1981 as Villa ended a 71 year wait for the League title.

Villa's success was all the more remarkable because just 14 players were used in what was then a 42-game League season.

The victorious Villa side of the 1980-81 season was unfairly maligned in some quarters, but Saunders and his players ignored criticism and deservedly won the title by four points.

Villa had reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup the following season when Saunders resigned.