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Living in an area where the leading Premiership club is Aston Villa, I am well aware of the complaints of their supporters about now departed manager David O'Leary and his 'book of excuses' but even more so about chairman 'Deadly Doug' Ellis. Indeed, a recent poll in a local newspaper found that he was marginally more unpopular than O'Leary. We are giving the Villa story more detailed treatment than most because it is so extraordinary. It is the leading club in the Midlands in terms of its ground capacity and its potential supporter base, yet odds from bookies make it a relegation favourite. Moreover, the club has punched below its weight for years. The chairman must take some responsibility for that. Indeed the Financial Times published an article on him yesterday that was unusual in the ferocity of its criticism for such a restrained paper. Incidentally, it is unclear how Mr Ellis got his 'Deadly Doug' sobriquet which he delights in to some extent, although it was not applied to the naming of the Doug Ellis stand. One version is that it refers to his record of getting through at least one manager every three years in his 35 years in charge at Villa Park where he has been noted for his reluctance to spend money. An alternative version concerns a salmon fishing trip with Jimmy Greaves who refused to kill the fish he had caught. Ellis was quick to snatch Greaves' catch and finish it off. Greaves is said to have remarked on how 'deadly' the chairman was.
The latest phase of the Villa saga started with a meeting with some players at the club's training ground last Friday week. A respected local reporter was let into the ground by someone in authority, although David O'Leary denied all knowledge of such a meeting and was cleared of any misconduct by the club. In any event a number of senior players criticised the chairman's cost cutting measures. It was alleged that Mr Ellis had refused to pay for watering the pitch and had disputed expenses claims including one for a physiotherapist. More seriously, the players wanted assurances over the redevelopment of the training ground, delayed because of bad weather in the spring, and plans for squad building. Fans had no doubt about where to place the blame. A statement on behalf of Villa Fans Combined and the Aston Villa Shareholders Association read, 'The club has been brought to its knees and no matter how much he tries to deflect the blame on to the manager and players, the one common denominator in the years of mediocrity and failure is Mr Ellis. Doug, your time is up, the fans and shareholders have had enough and in order not to face mass protests next season, you must leave for the good of the club.'
The Financial Times then published its highly critical article about the 82-year old Ellis. It described him as 'lambasted by many as a parismonious autocrat whose meddling style has forced out yet another manager.' The pink 'un pointed out that when Ellis was not in charge between 1979 and 1982 the club had its most successful period in the modern era, winning both the then First Division title and the European Cup. The FT noted, 'Even when the attention is not flattering, Mr Ellis appears to remain enthralled by the publicity that surrounds his running of the club. "He likes to be feted - he expects people to know who he is and fuss over him", according to a person close to the Football Association ... "But he is getting old and is not as on the ball as he used to be."' The FT pointed out, 'Mr Ellis still enjoys his continuing play among the "Blazerati" - the cabal of senior FA committee members and leading club chairman who stalk the boardrooms and hospitality suites of football grounds of match days.' However, according to the FT's FA source he no longer has a lot of clout with the FA and is now someone 'who makes people chuckle'. The FT notes that Mr Ellis was a ruthless cost controller when he built up his fortune in the package holiday business in the 1960s, getting his mother to make the passengers' lunch. 'Others argue that by penny pinching, Mr Ellis has protected the club from the indebtedness and over-stretching experienced by free-spending clubs. However, not all fans were impressed when the club announced last month that it has raised £7m from the sale of a "non-core" car park used on match days.'
Mr Ellis once said that he would only be carried out in a wooden box, but he has now thought to have softened his stance and would probably step down if he could find a buyer. However, fans complain that he has been hiding behind unrealistic valuations. Ellis was asking for £64m last season when a consortium headed by Ray Ranson, the former Manchester City player, offered £47 million. While there is said to be no chance of that deal being resurrected, Villa sources claim that there could be viable alternatives to the Irish property developers who went public with their interest last autumn. In a statement issued to the Stock Exchange issued last week the club said, 'Shareholders and supporters will be aware that Aston Villa has been in an official offer period since September 19 2005 when the AVIL consortium (backed by the Comer brothers) made an initial approach to the company.' Rothschild were appointed as advisers and 'Extensive discussions involving Rothschild, chairman Doug Ellis and credible parties are ongoing and will be fully explored to determine whether a formal offer for the issued share capital of Aston Villa will be forthcoming. But there is no certainty that any of these discussions will lead to an offer being made.' Stock Exchange regulations mean that the club could bot issue such a statement to keep the heat off Ellis or to prop up the share price. Deadly Doug may at last be on his way out and a great sigh of relief will be heard from Villains everywhere.
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