Sir Doug Ellis donates £1 million

[dave.woodhall]

Pauline, do you remember Ellis wanting the removal of Sir Ron ?

If you mean Saunders, it was quite obvious that if he'd won in 1979 the manager would have gone the day after. The letter he sent to shareholders talked about a sinking ship and the captain. A shareholder of the time told me that Saunders came round his house to ask who he'd be voting for.

[ChicagoLion]

In the same way Lambert has got off lightly because he isn't McLeish the same applies to Randy because he isn't Doug.

Doug made some awful decisions because of ego, Randy appears to be making decisions based on apathy.

[Damo70]

In the same way Lambert has got off lightly because he isn't McLeish the same applies to Randy because he isn't Doug.

Doug made some awful decisions because of ego, Randy appears to be making decisions based on apathy.

I was going to totally agree with that but I think the apathy as you call it is more like being worn down with his personal problems and the clubs problems. As comparisons with Doug are being made I would say he lacks Doug's thick skin and ability to take a punch and get back up again. Possibly due to their different backgrounds and how they got rich.

[dave.woodhall]

In the same way Lambert has got off lightly because he isn't McLeish the same applies to Randy because he isn't Doug.

Doug made some awful decisions because of ego, Randy appears to be making decisions based on apathy.

I was going to totally agree with that but I think the apathy as you call it is more like being worn down with his personal problems and the clubs problems. As comparisons with Doug are being made I would say he lacks Doug's thick skin and ability to take a punch and get back up again. Possibly due to their different backgrounds and how they got rich.

That's a good point. I think Randy sets a lot of store by loyalty (hence being affected by O'Neill walking out) and he's also not suited to the high profile of being a club chairman. Doug used to take the criticism/abuse but he was a firm believer in the adage of what's worse than being talked about.

[Dave Cooper please]

SH, is there any chance you can stop being so obtuse and actually say what you are so obviously implying?
If you think that Dave is refusing to criticise Lerner (even though he does actually criticise Lerner!) because he is on the payroll or something then just come out and bloody say it, at least then it will be in the open and you can stop sniping.

[Clampy]

Both men have made mistakes, but at least Ellis would front up and face the music, as opposed to fleeing back to America and hiding like Lerner has.

Its a shame that proud history, bright future scarf he gave us cant be used as a contract, as I'd sue him for breach of contract.

Exactly. Ellis for all his faults faces the music and never hid like Lerner does and continues to do.

So it's ok for LTA to criticize Lerner but not ok for another poster not to criticize him? What the fuck is all that about? How about growing up a bit?

[ChicagoLion]

In the same way Lambert has got off lightly because he isn't McLeish the same applies to Randy because he isn't Doug.

Doug made some awful decisions because of ego, Randy appears to be making decisions based on apathy.

I was going to totally agree with that but I think the apathy as you call it is more like being worn down with his personal problems and the clubs problems. As comparisons with Doug are being made I would say he lacks Doug's thick skin and ability to take a punch and get back up again. Possibly due to their different backgrounds and how they got rich.

That's a good point. I think Randy sets a lot of store by loyalty (hence being affected by O'Neill walking out) and he's also not suited to the high profile of being a club chairman. Doug used to take the criticism/abuse but he was a firm believer in the adage of what's worse than being talked about.

Apathy may not be the right word but there appears to be a reluctance, where as Doug seemed to like taking decisions even if the were bad ones.

[go on the dog]

Ellis bought Cascarino instead of Sheringham as Graham Taylor told him too.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It makes me laugh at some of the ridiculous comments made against Lerner, often by the same people that think we should be following the Southampton model. I wonder when was the last time the Saints fans complained Katharina Liebherr hardly attends St Mary's?

[aev]

It makes me laugh at some of the ridiculous comments made against Lerner, often by the same people that think we should be following the Southampton model. I wonder when was the last time the Saints fans complained Katharina Liebherr hardly attends St Mary's?

They were pretty pissed off at the start of the season after they had flogged all their bright lights - wasn't there talk that she wanted to sell the club?

And yet, with a decent new manager and some sensible reinvestment they are flying.

[Dave]

It makes me laugh at some of the ridiculous comments made against Lerner, often by the same people that think we should be following the Southampton model. I wonder when was the last time the Saints fans complained Katharina Liebherr hardly attends St Mary's?

It's just one of those irrelevancies like people who complain about Lambert's accent. There are so many real things to take issue with, why bother with such minutiae.

If he put the right people in place to run things properly then I don't think anybody would be bothered if he decided that he never wanted to watch a match at Villa Park again.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It makes me laugh at some of the ridiculous comments made against Lerner, often by the same people that think we should be following the Southampton model. I wonder when was the last time the Saints fans complained Katharina Liebherr hardly attends St Mary's?

It's just one of those irrelevancies like people who complain about Lambert's accent. There are so many real things to take issue with, why bother with such minutiae.

If he put the right people in place to run things properly then I don't think anybody would be bothered if he decided that he never wanted to watch a match at Villa Park again.

Exactly. For the best part of the 70's we never really cared who was the owner of the club as we had the right manager in place and the football, especially at Villa Park, was a joy to watch. Only when the manager was challenged did people start to care about the owners.

As I said the other day, the most important individual at any football club is the manager. Get that appointment right and the rest will take care of itself.

[Jimbo]

Owners are like referees, you only really give a damn about them when they're really shit.

[Damo70]

Owners are like referees, you only really give a damn about them when they're really shit.

Spot on. The daughter of the previous Southampton owner has been previously mentioned and she is a prime example. Apparently she didn't have a clue and didn't care and the club was going to suffer if she stayed. Now they are doing well she just doesn't get a mention one way or the other.

[dave.woodhall]

Exactly. For the best part of the 70's we never really cared who was the owner of the club as we had the right manager in place and the football, especially at Villa Park, was a joy to watch. Only when the manager was challenged did people start to care about the owners.

As I said the other day, the most important individual at any football club is the manager. Get that appointment right and the rest will take care of itself.

That's not strictly true. Throughout the seventies the Villa's ownership was a hotly-disputed topic because there were several boardroom battles, two EGMS, four chairmen and a biggest shareholder who came from nowhere although the position of the manger was the main argument in the biggest battle of the lot. It's true, though, that nobody really cares what the owner says or does when the team's doing well.