I may be wrong on this but was Richardson trying to move him out of the club?
Yep-to Blackburn at the time with Jack Walkers millions.There was a bit of a dodgy deal involving Richardson when Dublin was about to sign for them which Dublin found out about. Doug Ellis rang Dublin and asked if he was still available (while in Blackburn with Dalgleish) and he spoke to Villa on the way back down.
Richardson was not “involved” in the Villa deal and for less money (wages) he went to Villa which as somebody has correctly said he didn’t need then to uproot his family as he lived in Stratford.
People seem to forget that Dublin could have left in the summer before he did but signed a new contract which in turn got us the 6m odd.
He also didn’t refuse to play against Luton. The club (Blackburn/Villa) didn’t want him cup tied as part of the sale.