“I have [been instructed by Chairman Herbert Douglas Ellis] to prune £150,000 off the wage bill by the end of next month.

“Whether that puts my job on the line I do not know, but selling players these days can be very difficult.

“We have the basis of a very good squad and I hope I will still be here next season to see the job through.

Tony Barton, Tuesday 8 May 1984

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“While Barton's job should be safe, he could fall out with Ellis over the chairman's insistence on staff cuts and possible changes in the coaching set-up.”

Daily Mirror, Wednesday, 9 May 1984

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After a five-hour meeting with chairman Doug Ellis last night. Barton said:

"Everything was very amicable."

The talks were expected to provide the answers to speculation about Barton's future but he said:

“We spent most of the time discussing ways of raising money next season."

There is a board meeting next Monday at which the more controversial issues of staff cuts and possible changes in the coaching set-up are expected to be raised.

Daily Mirror, Thursday, 10 May 1984

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"At today's board meeting, attended by all directors, it was unanimously decided to terminate the contracts of manager Tony Barton and his assistant Roy Maclaren.

"The board wish to place on record their appreciation of the work done by Tony Barton and Roy Maclaren during their respective periods of employment at Aston Villa."

"The results over the last season have not been sufficiently good for Aston Villa Football Club.

"The five directors were unanimous about terminating the contracts of Tony and assistant manager Roy McLaren.

"Last season's results were simply not good enough for a big club like Villa. We need to be in Europe, yet failed to qualify.”

Herbert Douglas Ellis on Tony Barton who had won the European Cup, recovered Villa to finish 11th (1981-82), 6th (1982-83), 7th until the penultimate game of the season (1983-84). Villa’s highest finish under Ellis chairmanship without Tony Barton? Second in Division Two in 1974-75.

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“I am bitterly disappointed and astonished really, because I was under no impression that this was going to happen.

"The chairman called me into his office and told me that the board had decided they wanted a new manager and that was it.

"I had just returned from holiday.

"I'm absolutely shattered, not to mention astonished, because managers with worse records than me are still in their jobs.

"Finishing tenth in the First Division was quite respectable considering all the circumstances, which included the loss of Gordon Cowans and Garry Shaw through injury, plus four others in hospital."

Tony Barton. Monday, 18 June 1984

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“The board of Aston Villa feel that Graham Turner is the man to create the successful and attractive style of soccer sought by the supporters of this great club.”

Tuesday, 17 July 1984

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“It’s a big step. I have had no First Division experience [In six years with Shrewsbury, Turner took them from the Third Division to the Second]

“There have got to be changes but I will not axe willy-nilly.

“There is going to be a time of assess. The chief concern is trimming the large playing squad.

"I am in full control of appointing coaches, team selection and the coming and going of players."

Graham Turner. Tuesday, 17 July 1984.

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"We are delighted to have Graham.

“We have a magnificent stadium, a superb squad of players and a fine administration team.

“We now have completed the jigsaw."

Herbert Douglas Ellis. Tuesday, 17 July 1984.