‘Big Ron’ Guest Of Honour At Coventry Charity Cup Sportsmans Dinner Next Month
The black tie event, to benefit the work of the Coventry Charity Cup, kicks off at 7.00pm and will also feature comedian Rudi West.
A player with Aston Villa from 1956-59 (albeit without breaking through to the first team) and famously club captain with Oxford United from 1959-71 making 384 league appearances, ‘Big Ron’ really made his mark in club management. Starting out at Kettering in 1971 Ron then had four years at Cambridge United (from 1974) before joining WBA in 1978. With the ‘Baggies’ Big Ron started to hit the headlines and also managed Sky Blue Legend and now fellow CCFPA member Cyrille Regis. He spent a high profile time at Manchester United (1981-86) before returning to the Hawthorns. A season in Spain with Atletico Madrid followed in 1988 followed by spells in the manager’s chair at Sheffield Wednesday (1989) and Aston Villa (1991).
Ron came to Highfield Road in February 1995 after parting from the Villa and helped the Sky Blues survive in the Premiership and recruited some great players like Gary McAllister, CCFPA member Noel Whelan and a player who went on to partner and then succeed him as manager, now CCFPA member Gordon Strachan. Ron saw out his managerial carrer at Hillsborough and then at Nottingham Forest and retired in 1998 to develop a career in media punditry notably with ITV and MUTV (as well as appearing on the likes of Celebrity Big Brother). Ron joined the Association in February 2015.
Further information about the event and tickets costing £40 per head can be bought by contacting dgkite@aol.com or from Ross Miles(Premier group) on 02476 362886