33 years Ago - The Dawning of a New Era

[Chico Hamilton III]

I like the sound of this Ellis fella....

Mr Douglas Ellis has announced he has bought Mr Ron Bendall's stake in Aston Villa but Mr Harold Parkes has won an injunction stopping the deal. 


1 December 1982

Textline Multiple Source Collection

(c) 1982


Mr Ellis has agreed to purchase Mr Bendall's 42% stake for an estimated #500,000 and has has elected chairman of the board. This is the third time Mr Ellis has become chairman of the club. Three years ago he resigned after a boardroom upheaval centring on Mr Bendall.

Mr Parkes obtained a temporary injunction against the selling of Mr Bendall's interest claiming that he had entered into a verbal contract to buy the shares himself.

[The Left Side]

I didn't know Harry Parkes tried to buy the shares, anyone know more about that?

[dave.woodhall]

I didn't know Harry Parkes tried to buy the shares, anyone know more about that?

Now thereby hangs a tale...

One Friday afternoon it was announced that Bendall was selling his shares to Harry Parkes. At about five to five Tony Butler did a trailer on BRMB where he said his guest tonight will be "the new Villa chairman Harry Parkes." The five o'clock news broke the story that Bendall was selling to Doug Ellis. At five past five Butler said, "My guest tonight will be new Villa chairman Doug Ellis." It was that sudden.

Many years later I was told by someone who was very well connected at the time that during the fateful afternoon Parkes received a call telling him that for the deal to go ahead he had to pay a certain extra amount for some legal fee. His solicitor advised him to hold fire until the reason for the fee was clarified. While he was holding, Doug nipped in and the rest is history. The origin of the mystery call was never made clear.

[TopDeck113]

Who'd have thought it? Dirty tricks in the Villa boardroom of the 70s/80s...

[The Left Side]

I didn't know Harry Parkes tried to buy the shares, anyone know more about that?

Now thereby hangs a tale...

One Friday afternoon it was announced that Bendall was selling his shares to Harry Parkes. At about five to five Tony Butler did a trailer on BRMB where he said his guest tonight will be "the new Villa chairman Harry Parkes." The five o'clock news broke the story that Bendall was selling to Doug Ellis. At five past five Butler said, "My guest tonight will be new Villa chairman Doug Ellis." It was that sudden.

Many years later I was told by someone who was very well connected at the time that during the fateful afternoon Parkes received a call telling him that for the deal to go ahead he had to pay a certain extra amount for some legal fee. His solicitor advised him to hold fire until the reason for the fee was clarified. While he was holding, Doug nipped in and the rest is history. The origin of the mystery call was never made clear.

Thanks Dave, what might have been eh!

[dave.woodhall]

I didn't know Harry Parkes tried to buy the shares, anyone know more about that?

Now thereby hangs a tale...

One Friday afternoon it was announced that Bendall was selling his shares to Harry Parkes. At about five to five Tony Butler did a trailer on BRMB where he said his guest tonight will be "the new Villa chairman Harry Parkes." The five o'clock news broke the story that Bendall was selling to Doug Ellis. At five past five Butler said, "My guest tonight will be new Villa chairman Doug Ellis." It was that sudden.

Many years later I was told by someone who was very well connected at the time that during the fateful afternoon Parkes received a call telling him that for the deal to go ahead he had to pay a certain extra amount for some legal fee. His solicitor advised him to hold fire until the reason for the fee was clarified. While he was holding, Doug nipped in and the rest is history. The origin of the mystery call was never made clear.

Thanks Dave, what might have been eh!

It's interesting to wonder. I can't see Harry Parkes wanting to eradicate the previous two seasons like Ellis did, and I also can't see him wanting to be Mr Aston Villa. I think he would have put a more wide-ranging board together and who knows, his great friend Ron Saunders mght have returned.

[Durham58]

I remember some years ago Dennis Mortimer being interviewed by WM about Villa's decline in the  mid 80's , and he attributed it to that sad day that Harry Parkes was duped by Bendall and lost out to Ellis. Sure we all know Dennis has no time for Doug (neither do many of the  championship winning side) but I'd say he's right.