Ron Atkinson pays tribute to former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson

Ron, who signed Dalian for both Sheffield Wednesday and Villa, said the striker's loss was devastating.

The 48-year-old died after he was hit by a taser in Meadow Close in Telford at around 1.30am on Monday.

He told the Express & Star: "Obviously it's tragic. This is something you can't comprehend really.

"Dalian was a player with immense talent and he had a habit of coming good in big games.

"He was a scorer of great goals.

"I still believe that if he hadn't got injured just before Christmas in the first year of the Premier League then we would've won it, as him and Dean Saunders were the best partnership in the league at that time.

"And he got us on terms in the second leg."

• MORE: Man who died after being tasered by police in Telford named locally as former Aston Villa striker Dalian Atkinson

• MORE: Tributes paid to former Aston Villa striker Dalian Atkinson

Dalian then opened the scoring in the cup final, which Villa won 3-1 against Manchester United.

'Big Ron' said the Telford-born forward was a popular presence in the changing rooms during his time at Villa.

He said: "He was very popular amongst the rest of the boys, who was always really generous.

"He was a very jolly lad and was always smiling."