Sir DOUG RIP

[XXVilla]

I had a long chat with Doug’s driver/Man Friday once. He had nothing but good things to say about him, particularly about how kind and generous he was to him personally. He wasn’t very complimentary about the Americans who followed him at all.

[martin o`who??]

Nice tribute on Football focus today - quite tasteful I thought - all this reminds me of a cartoon in the NME after John Lennon was shot “One day you’re not good enough the next day you’re Just too good to be true”..........

[serbentoflight]

Where will we put the Sir Doug Ellis statue? 

[Tayls_7]

Where will we put the Sir Doug Ellis statue?

Right back?

[AlexAlexCropley]

Where will we put the Sir Doug Ellis statue?

In front of the William McGregor one.

[villan from luton]

Sir Doug mellowed over the years and have to say I almost liked him.

Then I think back to 1the autumn of 1978 and him trying to totally change our club. His criteria was basically Ron Saunders should go after losing Andy Gray and John Gidman. It was a horrible time as a Villa fan as they were 2 great players, but thankfully Sir Doug lost and it was the right decision and thankfully I was at Highbury and Rotterdam. I do wonder what would have happened if he had won that vote lol

[old man villa fan]

Like most fans of my generation, I thought he was great in '68 but had to go by the late '70's.  I disliked him immensely for what he did in the 80's, felt he held us back in the late 90's/early part of this century and was pleased to see him sell up in 2006.  He was ahead of the times when he came in but behind the times when he left.  I always imagined him and Bob Lord at the FA doing deals on the share of the sales of meat pies at Wembley before casting votes.

Having said all of that you cannot deny his love of Aston Villa and have respect for a guy that was known throughout football and for his charity work after he sold Villa.  RIP Doug.

[clash city rocker]

Sir Doug mellowed over the years and have to say I almost liked him.

Then I think back to 1the autumn of 1978 and him trying to totally change our club. His criteria was basically Ron Saunders should go after losing Andy Gray and John Gidman. It was a horrible time as a Villa fan as they were 2 great players, but thankfully Sir Doug lost and it was the right decision and thankfully I was at Highbury and Rotterdam. I do wonder what would have happened if he had won that vote lol

I was at a shareholders AGM in the late 70's.  Sat in the old witton lane stand. Who should walk in and sit in front of me along with two rather large blokes but non other than Sir Ron. He sat there and listened and did make discreet comments to the two blokes he was with. I did catch some of the things he said and at a later date I will share those with you. The highlight of the night was that I got his autograph. To think I got to actually speak to the great man.

[manic-road]

A solid round of applause for Doug today, nice to see the blue Roller AV1 still parked up at the back of the North Stand.

[Richard E]

I never expected to see the day when the Holte End would be singing 'there's only one Doug Ellis.'

[Pvb1968]

All done properly.

[cheltenhamlion]

I never expected to see the day when the Holte End would be singing 'there's only one Doug Ellis.'

And I certainly didn't join in. I can be hypocritical with the best of them but that would be a step too far.

RIP and all that but I am not rewriting history for him. And I deliberately left this thread alone for about a week in case anyone gets arsey about a lack of respect.

[Richard E]

I never expected to see the day when the Holte End would be singing 'there's only one Doug Ellis.'

And I certainly didn't join in. I can be hypocritical with the best of them but that would be a step too far.

RIP and all that but I am not rewriting history for him. And I deliberately left this thread alone for about a week in case anyone gets arsey about a lack of respect.

Agree with every word of that.

[steamer]

I guess that most of the guys singing were not representative of the Holte End 78- 82
Never mind, I am glad we were respective and that one his sons laid the wreath.
Sleep well Doug.

[LeeB]

I never expected to see the day when the Holte End would be singing 'there's only one Doug Ellis.'

And I certainly didn't join in. I can be hypocritical with the best of them but that would be a step too far.

RIP and all that but I am not rewriting history for him. And I deliberately left this thread alone for about a week in case anyone gets arsey about a lack of respect.

Agree with every word of that.

Me too.

We got there just as it finished, which is just as well as I'm not sure a minutes booing would have been appreciated in the good natured manner it was intended.