Martin’s Dynasty

Martin’s Dynasty

As we look back over the first year of our new chapter, we can see many things have changed.

The Board – Randy, The General, Bob Kain, Richard Fitzgerald, are all experienced people using their

Specific skills to help the club develop.

The Brand- A new badge, a new perception of Aston Villa has been born. It’s only the first year but it’s our chapter to write!

The facilities – The updating of VP through general appearance, a new stand on the horizon, the Holte Hotel and Bodymoor heath –which by next season will have the new pitches laid (2.8mill) and we will have a completed facility that has cost, just shy of 17million pounds and rival’s the best in the country.

The Academy– We have been producing young talent for years with Gordon and Dwight players who have both gone onto lift European cups. This alone is a fantastic element of our club I am very proud of.

The players– We have seen players go and they are being replaced by players of a higher quality.

As we continue to grow and acquire players with the right attitude (What’s ability without this!-Marlon for example- I’ll work for my place and earn it!) and ability to take us forward we will only get stronger and stronger.

Finally –

The Manager– In Martin O’Neill we have one of the most respected and feared managers in the country.

Who in my opinion could manage any club in the top 4. There are not many other managers in the UK who as players have won Championships, European cups & domestic cups. These are all experiences, players can learn from. He has managed at all levels, and won domestic cups with an unfashionable club against the big boys.

So as we embark on our new chapter, I believe we will enter a golden period. Martin has got cart Blanche on football at the club. He runs it from top to toe, including all the transfer dealings. This is one hell of a responsibility, but one he relishes and he takes very seriously. Any football expressed/performed by AVFC is a direct reflection on him. The only ingredient we need now is time, to let him mould the club and grease the machine, so it works perfectly.

If you look at all the successful British managers, one thing they all had was time to develop the club.

Jock Stein – Celtic (13years), Alex Ferguson –Aberdeen (8years), Alex Ferguson –Man Utd (21years),

Matt Busby –Man Utd (24years), Brian Clough –Forrest (18years), Bill Shankly –Liverpool (15years),

Bob Paisley-Liverpool (9years), Arsene Wenger –Arsenal (11years), Ron Saunders –Villa (8years)

Fergie was going to get sacked at Manu after 3 years and no trophies…!!

Everything takes hard work and time. A solid foundation has to be built…most importantly we need everyone to work together as one team to achieve it.

As Ron Saunders said, Peter Withe (at 30) was the last piece of the jigsaw…then looked what happened!!

It will take time for us to develop and to compete at the level we want to be at. There will be no quick fix, or a single record signing that will be the answer.

But building bit by bit and by everyone pulling together, we can try to achieve the 5 yr plan in 3yrs, the 7yr plan in 5yrs and the 10yr plan in 7yrs….It’s up to all of us to help achieve success.

Everything is coming together… it may take 10yrs to compete for the European cup and lift it again, but it’s already been 25yrs!!!…and if anything we have been further away…at least now we have the ambition, the structure and the right people to make the dream……. a reality. Come on you Lions!!

JF:(sorry for problem with images)