Brendon Batson's book

[Grand Wazoo]

There is an excerpt from his book in the B'ham Mail and he really lambasts Ronnie Allen. Apparently when he returned for his second spell with Gerry Summers as his No.2 it was a total **** show and a real low time for the players even though they got to two semi finals in which he is quick to admit they were awful. Hopeless repetitive training sessions and Allen even asking the players at half time in one game what they thought they should do. I am surprised at this revelation to be honest.

[mickd1961]

A pity Batson couldn’t keep these thoughts to himself rather than wait 40+ years to dig it up.

I’d actually forgotten that Ronnie was manager in 81-82 and considering he lost Cunningham, Moses and Robson and Willie was no longer around and Wile and Robbo were reaching their end it was a miracle we made those two semi finals.

He also paid for Regis out of his own pocket as well as being an all time club legend.

Batson has dug out Atkinson as well for his microphone faux pas a few years ago having never suffered any racism at the hand of Atkinson himself.

Two unnecessary low blows in my opinion, Batson goes down a bit in my personal opinion of him.

[boingy]

That’s just what I was thinking regarding his comments about Atkinson. He said that Ron had since been good to him so why bring it up? It’s a bit like burying the hatchet but digging it up again. We all know Ron shouldn’t have done it but nothing like dragging up dirty washing is there?

[kettering_baggie]

Very poor form by Brendan Batson; sign of the times, I’m afraid.

[DaveP67 is back!]

Re Ronnie Allen, that was a f up of almighty proportions Alan Mullery should have had the job but for a mistake by the club sec giving the wrong Allen the job!

[Omegstrat6]

I haven't read his book, only extracts that have been online, so cannot comment on the Allen thing but with regard to the Big Ron episode, I would think it very odd if he did not address it.

Batson has had a long career with the FA and has been at the forefront of the kick out racism movement so of course he would mention it. In the extract I read, he points out how, after a difficult start to their relationship whilst at Cambridge, he grew to both like and respect Atkinson. Not least because he selected players based purely on their ability regardless of colour. He didn't go out to select black players, it just happened that he-and we-were fortunate enough to have 3 in the squad, two of whom were exceptionally gifted. Batson, indeed all of them , much appreciated that. He also very much appreciated Atkinson's support for the growing anti-racism movement, something he says that Atkinson did not have to do at a time when monkey calls and throwing bananas at black players was common place. It was understandable then that, having gone through this together, both Brendon and Cyrille felt let down and very hurt by his commentary "gaffe". According to Batson, what hurt most was his lack of apology when they spoke, he simply passed it off as a mistake for not realising the mike was on. I think that he may have been more inclined to agree with the "generational" use of language defence had Atkinson apologised but obviously he now wondered whether the use of the "lazy black nigger" tropes expressed his true feelings.

Batson obviously found it difficult to reconcile the apparent contradictions of Atkinson refusing to apologise for the comment and seemingly being unaware of the genuine hurt and offence it caused with the fact that he never saw him treat Black players any differently than white ones (and even recalls him having a go at someone for abusing Regis).

Big Ron was one of those larger than life characters we rarely get to see these days and whilst Batson understood some of the values in that he also feels that the acceptance by people of this allowed Atkinson to feel that he could get away with stuff.

Eventually, after years of not really speaking, he says they were mostly reconciled in a let bygones be bygones way when Atkinson learnt that his wife was in hospital and phoned out of the blue to see if he was ok and if there was anything he could do. A gesture, he admits, that was typical of the man

As regards the Big Ron incident then, I don't think this is muck raking and to me Brendon is just being honest and takes a pretty balanced view. Also think that we need to remember both the level of abuse these players endured for so long and also their service to the club. Batson, particularly, has been involved with Albion and was instrumental in setting up the former players association for example.

[DaveP67 is back!]

I haven't read his book, only extracts that have been online, so cannot comment on the Allen thing but with regard to the Big Ron episode, I would think it very odd if he did not address it.

Batson has had a long career with the FA and has been at the forefront of the kick out racism movement so of course he would mention it. In the extract I read, he points out how, after a difficult start to their relationship whilst at Cambridge, he grew to both like and respect Atkinson. Not least because he selected players based purely on their ability regardless of colour. He didn't go out to select black players, it just happened that he-and we-were fortunate enough to have 3 in the squad, two of whom were exceptionally gifted. Batson, indeed all of them , much appreciated that. He also very much appreciated Atkinson's support for the growing anti-racism movement, something he says that Atkinson did not have to do at a time when monkey calls and throwing bananas at black players was common place. It was understandable then that, having gone through this together, both Brendon and Cyrille felt let down and very hurt by his commentary "gaffe". According to Batson, what hurt most was his lack of apology when they spoke, he simply passed it off as a mistake for not realising the mike was on. I think that he may have been more inclined to agree with the "generational" use of language defence had Atkinson apologised but obviously he now wondered whether the use of the "lazy black nigger" tropes expressed his true feelings.

Batson obviously found it difficult to reconcile the apparent contradictions of Atkinson refusing to apologise for the comment and seemingly being unaware of the genuine hurt and offence it caused with the fact that he never saw him treat Black players any differently than white ones (and even recalls him having a go at someone for abusing Regis).

Big Ron was one of those larger than life characters we rarely get to see these days and whilst Batson understood some of the values in that he also feels that the acceptance by people of this allowed Atkinson to feel that he could get away with stuff.

Eventually, after years of not really speaking, he says they were mostly reconciled in a let bygones be bygones way when Atkinson learnt that his wife was in hospital and phoned out of the blue to see if he was ok and if there was anything he could do. A gesture, he admits, that was typical of the man

As regards the Big Ron incident then, I don't think this is muck raking and to me Brendon is just being honest and takes a pretty balanced view. Also think that we need to remember both the level of abuse these players endured for so long and also their service to the club. Batson, particularly, has been involved with Albion and was instrumental in setting up the former players association for example.

Nicely said, things were tough for black players then and most of us on here are of an age where we would have witnessed it first hand. It would have been difficult for Batson not to raise the impact Atkinsons comments had on him.