Doug interview on Sky now

[Irish villain]

It certainly doesn't matter to some. It matters to me though as I have a sneaky feeling things would have been a lot different if SGT hadn't been sent gift wrapped and we were in Division 2 with Dave Bassett as manager.

Indeed, nor try to brush Randy Lerner's failings of the past six years under the carpet.

If a government turns out to be a disaster you seldom hear people say 'oh dear, they truly have been let down by that awful junior minister for rural affairs again, you can't blame the PM for this government's mistakes'.

Yeah I remember the link with Dave Bassett and what a horrifying thought that was. Thank god we employed Taylor. And look if you're gonna blame Ellis for relegating us in '87 you can't just not give him credit for our promotion a year later.

[Chris Harte]

There are plenty of bad things to say about Ellis I'm sure, but to not credit him with hiring Sir Graham who got us promoted at the first attempt is pretty poor form (if because Ellis took advice and the timing was considered right by the new manager himself), in my opinion. It happened, the history books say it happened.

We're only now about to lose that top flight status. After a five year death by a thousand cuts, a prolonged agony for those attending on a regular basis. In 1986-87 we won seven home games. Some very small consolation for getting relegated. I think we've managed that feat once (and without checking I may be being over generous) in the last five seasons!

[brian green]

PWS you raise two salient points that I find oddly reassuring because for me they put the the current plight of the club in clearer context.  You mention the bleak and barren years from 1950 - 76.  Those years were the meat of my life as a Villa fan.  Bad as they were and they were bad, the flame in the bedrock fans burned as strong and bright as it always has and always will.

Your second point about the years in Div 3 in retrospect being recalled as fun but actually being far from it is also true.  Being in Div 2 and Div 3 was unspeakably horrible as many of us are about to experience again.  The two things that filled us fans with energy and enthusiasm was that we were young, full of the piss and vinegar of youth and that we had turned the corner and were smashing our way out of the place we had fallen into.  Next autumn will be horrible, brace yourselves for it. Christmas will be better.

[Lucky Eddie]

Next autumn will be horrible, brace yourselves for it. Christmas will be better.

I read that as a horror scope 😂

[mr underhill]

almost surreal now to think that Big Ron's second place finish remains (with KK) the highest ever finish by an English manager in the PL. As ever, he and Deadly fell out shortly afterwards

[Lucky Eddie]

almost surreal now to think that Big Ron's second place finish remains (with KK) the highest ever finish by an English manager in the PL. As ever, he and Deadly fell out shortly afterwards

BFR and 'he who walks on water' had both lost their way though hadn't they?

I don't think Doug pulled the trigger too early on either occasion.

[Risso]

almost surreal now to think that Big Ron's second place finish remains (with KK) the highest ever finish by an English manager in the PL. As ever, he and Deadly fell out shortly afterwards

BFR and 'he who walks on water' had both lost their way though hadn't they?

I don't think Doug pulled the trigger too early on either occasion.

Indeed.  The writing was on the wall for Ron, you could see he'd lost it, sadly.  The signing of his mate John Fashanu was the beginning of the end.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

PWS you raise two salient points that I find oddly reassuring because for me they put the the current plight of the club in clearer context.  You mention the bleak and barren years from 1950 - 76.  Those years were the meat of my life as a Villa fan.  Bad as they were and they were bad, the flame in the bedrock fans burned as strong and bright as it always has and always will.

Your second point about the years in Div 3 in retrospect being recalled as fun but actually being far from it is also true.  Being in Div 2 and Div 3 was unspeakably horrible as many of us are about to experience again.  The two things that filled us fans with energy and enthusiasm was that we were young, full of the piss and vinegar of youth and that we had turned the corner and were smashing our way out of the place we had fallen into.  Next autumn will be horrible, brace yourselves for it. Christmas will be better.

Think I'm a tad younger than you Brian but those were my "formative" years too...the thing I remember most from those bad years was the undying loyalty and intensity of the Villa support...we never thought for one minute that we would not be back, and once we started the climb out of Div 3 there was almost no stopping us!
In our current plight I can see the support being just as strong; I only hope that those managing the club make the decision to come along with us.

[castlefields_villan]

Yep. Hard to have a go at a man in his nineties, but in the piece I saw, there was no mention that he had also managed to get Villa relegated and from a position of even greater strength.

The club also bounced back to the top division under Ellis too. How confident are we of that happening this time around?

And finished 2nd twice within a couple of years - it especially still gripes me about it all falling apart on that Easter Saturday in 1993  (the birth of Fergie Time).

[Durham58]

Bizarrely to many i'm sure, i'd give Ellis more credit for hiring Venglos than I would for hiring Taylor as it was a brave move ahead of it's time and hindsight has shown us it was actually smart thinking.
Ellis didn't go after Taylor, Taylor basically chose us as his next job. I doubt there's many clubs would have turned down SGT if he'd made it obvious they were the club for him.

I'd agree with that bit about Venglos. Brave, forward thinking. Not often you'll put those three words nexr to Doug Ellis in the same sentence.

Can't agree with this about Venglos, he was completely the wrong man for us at that time, (our collapse at the  end of 89/90 was the clue) Doug should have been aware of that.

[castlefields_villan]

I'd like to know how going from the Champions of Europe to relegation in 5 years is worse than going from finishing 6th to relegation in the same length of time?

Surely it's because we've flirted with relegation ever since 2011 ?  It's got worse year after year and after losing the spine of the team in the summer and buying a load of players with no premier league experience to replace them, - coupled with employing totally unsuitable manager after unsuitable manager it's really no surprise we're where we are.

[mr underhill]

The BFR's  Claret & Blue Army chant was brilliant though.

[Fasth56]

Sometimes you just don't have to look at who posted you can tell by the content, particularly when it is a shot at Lerner who must be the devil reincarnate if Ellis is preferred. Remember this is the guy that made millions not only out of AVFC by being the first paid director but the fans too, and is responsible for wanton vandalism in the destruction of the Trinity stand.

[Chris Harte]

Sometimes you just don't have to look at who posted you can tell by the content, particularly when it is a shot at Lerner who must be the devil reincarnate if Ellis is preferred. Remember this is the guy that made millions not only out of AVFC by being the first paid director but the fans too, and is responsible for wanton vandalism in the destruction of the Trinity stand.

I've no problem with people critisising Ellis, but at least do it where it is warranted. And also offer balance by acknowledging where hes's done the right thing.

[PeterWithesShin]

How is that any different to those that defend Ellis and rarely, if ever, criticise him?