Statistics are a funny old thing, and some in football can crop up a few surprises. For instance, Rafa Benitez has a higher win percentage as Liverpool manager than Bill Shankly. Or only two of the world’s top ten highest paid sportsman play football. With this in mind, we have a look at the top five most successful Villa managers in terms of win percentage.
5. Ron Saunders
Whilst Tony Barton is the man who is celebrated for leading the Villans to the European Cup, his Birkenhead-born predecessor should also take some credit for laying the foundations for what would become the only side that could hold a candle to the mighty Liverpool team of Dalglish et al.
The similarities between Villa and Liverpool don’t end there, as like Bill Shankly, Saunders took a team that was lying mid-table in the second division and made them into a Championship winning side. Saunders frugality in the transfer market played a big part in the success of the team.
4. Tony Barton
We all know about Barton’s achievements, taking an already good side made by Ron Saunders and made it into the best side in Europe. Originally his assistant, Barton took over the Villa reigns in 1982 following Saunders switch to rivals Birmingham City – it was days before Villa’s crucial away leg against Soviet Union, champions Dynamo Kiev. His success against the now Ukrainian outfit meant he was appointed on a full-time basis. A 1-0 win against Anderlecht meant Villa had their biggest game in history against Bayern Munich, before Peter White’s goal consigned Barton to folklore. Three top half finishes would follow before Barton left Villa, citing ill-health and the high pressures of top tier management for the change.
3. Graham Taylor
The eternal nearly man creeps up to third in the list, eternally underrated due to his spell as England manager. Taylor will never go down as one of the best managers in English football history, which is rather unfair.
Taylor came to Villa after building the best Watford side of all time. Taylor came to Villa with the responsibility of transforming a Villa side that had stuttered after winning the European Cup in 1982. Taylor came close to his first title win in 1990 when the Villans were runners-up to Liverpool. It was after this success that England came knocking and things went rather downhill for Taylor.
Taylor’s England tenure started well with Three Lions going unbeaten for 23 games. Yet a poor Euro ‘92 and a disastrous qualification for the 1994 World Cup meant Taylor was shown the door, he would eventually return to Villa, although would fall out with Doug Ellis after 15 months in charge.
2. Jimmy Hogan
Hogan will probably be an unknown to Villa fans; his honors list is relatively baron with only one division two title to his name. The outbreak of World War Two meant his time at the Villans was cut short. Nonetheless, his story as a manager is incredible.
Not wanting a comfortable life as a manager of an English team, Hogan went to manage the Netherlands and is credited as an inspiration for total football, before managing Austro-Hungarian sides Austria Wien and MTK. Not satisfied with laying the foundations for two of the best national sides in the world, and being branded a traitor by the FA. Hogan then took Austria to the 1936 Olympics final.
In comparison, his achievements at Villa seem rather modest, yet one could only imagine what he could have done with us if he was around for a few more years.
1. George Ramsey
It’s only fitting that the best manager in Villa’s history in terms of honors would also do the double and be the greatest Villa manager in terms of stats as well. The Glasgow-born manager was the Sir Alex Ferguson of his time, providing success on an almost industrial scale. Ramsey originally came to Birmingham looking for work, yet his success as a player for the Villans lead to him becoming the club’s secretary, then manager in 1884.
Ramsey found success early in his time at the club, winning the FA Cup in his third season against fledgling rivals West Brom. What followed after the cup win, was a revolutionary rebranding of Villa’s tactics that made them unstoppable for most of the 1890’s. Ramsey would lead his Villa side to five league titles in six years between 1894 and the turn of the century. Another title followed in 1910, as would another five FA Cups. His honors made him the most successful manager in history for over 100 years before the rise of Fergie.
Yet like his compatriot, part of Ramsey’s success was his adaptability. 34 years passed between his first and last FA Cup wins, and Ramsey was always praised for the forward-thinking tactics he employed. Ramsey would resign in 1926 after 42 years at the helm, becoming honorary vice president. Before losing his life in 1935; Aston Villa were relegated that season.
