Where Are They Now?: Ron Saunders

WHEN West Bromwich Albion sacked Ron Saunders in September 1987 his replacement was Ron Atkinson, who will inherit another Saunders mantle should Aston Villa finish top of the Premier League. Saunders was in charge when Villa last won the championship in 1981.

Big Ron the first has not worked since leaving the Hawthorns. He turned 60 last November and now divides his time between his garden, golf course and grandchildren . . . 'doing the things I always wanted to do but never had enough time for when I was working'. He has not watched a match since his last at West Brom.

'I started in football when I was 16 and left when I was 55. That's a lot of years.' Soon after joining Villa, Saunders installed his wife and four children in a well-heeled corner of suburban Solihull where he still lives and members at Olton Golf Club can see him attempt to bring his handicap below 10. He is much taken with the twin girls who arrived last month to double his score in grandchildren. 'They remind you about the things in life that are really important.'

(Photograph omitted)