Players who could have set the place alight had they come in their prime: Roy Aitken, Mark McGhee, Kenny Sansom, John Burridge, etc.
But before Mike Ashley arrived to hand Freddy Shepherd a wad of cash and a boot up the arse, Ranson put together a consortium of businessmen and made a serious attempt to buy Newcastle United Football Club.Shepherd held firm, suggesting the consortium was 'Mickey Mouse' and not big enough to take Newcastle to the level they were hoping to achieve.
And although I we didn't agree with much that Fred said ... he could well have been right on that occasion.
Ranson huffed and puffed but was never going to blow Shepherd's house down, and after a number of unsuccessful bids for various league clubs, he ended up at Coventry City.
Are the Coventry fans pleased with their new chairman? Not as far as we can gather. But he is gearing up for next season by telling the Sky Blue supporters what they want to hear:
Chairman Ray Ranson has revealed Coventry are looking at a wide range of potential new signings in their recruitment drive this summer.