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Author Topic: Herbert Ellis  (Read 33781 times)

Online Villa in Denmark

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #135 on: June 05, 2017, 09:17:53 PM »
Or Michael O'Leary and call ourselves The Packers.
I'm not moving to Wisconsin and I'm not wearing a slice of cheese on my head.

Offline Ad@m

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #136 on: June 05, 2017, 10:20:20 PM »
I started following our club in 1989(ish) and have had many more good times than bad. I understand the dismantling of European Champions (albeit before my time) and the reluctance to really push on when we came close to cracking it in the 90's, but I find it hard to hate the man as so many do.

I started watching the Villa in 1989 and I absolute despise the prick.  One of my best mates is an Arsenal fan and in the early 90s they were in decline while we were going the other way.  Herbert could've invested to push us that bit further but instead he chose to line his own pockets with our money.  As a result, we're getting turned over by shit teams like Brentford whilst Arsenal fans are protesting because they haven't reached the Champions League for the first time in two decades!!

I've got more time for Randy Lerner than Doug.

Offline Diablo

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #137 on: June 06, 2017, 08:49:07 AM »
Not sure where to start... Taken from the Mail.

Former Aston Villa owner Sir Doug Ellis on his darkest days at Villa Park

Ellis insists he was a prisoner in his own Four Oaks home and had his prized Rolls Royce vandalised during the height of his unpopularity
In our ‘Remember When’ series we look back through the archives for stories from Aston Villa’s past.
Here Sir Doug Ellis recalls the dark days of his own Villa reign.

Ellis insists he was a prisoner in his own Four Oaks home and had his prized Rolls Royce vandalised during the height of his unpopularity at Villa Park.
He sold the club to Randy Lerner in 2006 and 10 years on the American billionaire wanted out with Tony Xia taking over in the summer of 2016.
During his time of troubles, Ellis recalls strolling out of Villa Park one day and looking in horror at his gleaming Rolls Royce.
A jagged groove had been carved into the side of the vehicle, signalling a turn in the campaign to rid the club of an owner dubbed Deadly Doug.
Ellis remembers the episode and says: “Did it alter for one moment my position?”
“Not at all. A club like Aston Villa was more important than a car.
“I had to have broad shoulders to deal with it.
“I’ve lived in this house for more than 50 years,” he added.
“The press and anti-Ellis brigade would be here, particularly at night.

“My wife Heidi will tell you what we had to put up with – we couldn’t go out. We could not put the lights on.
“As soon as we did, the telephone would go and it would be the abusers.
“It didn’t matter either way. I was convinced I was doing the right thing for Aston Villa.”


Offline LeeB

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #138 on: June 06, 2017, 10:01:46 AM »
"I", "Me", "Mine"

C**t

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #139 on: June 06, 2017, 10:04:25 AM »
The only damage his Rolls Royce suffered was when he a) drove it into one of the pillars at the North Stand car park entrance and b) reversed into John Gregory's Range Rover the night Dwight Yorke was sold. 
« Last Edit: July 02, 2017, 12:11:34 PM by dave.woodhall »

Offline Jimbo

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #140 on: June 06, 2017, 10:13:20 AM »
“It didn’t matter either way. I was convinced I was doing the right thing for Doug Ellis.”

Fixed.

Offline Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #141 on: June 06, 2017, 04:57:54 PM »

“My wife Heidi will tell you what we had to put up with – we couldn’t go out. We could not put the lights on.


Just think of the savings on your leccy bill !

Offline passport1

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #142 on: June 06, 2017, 05:04:19 PM »
A former neighbour of mine had regular business dealings with him. She was horrified when she learnt that I supported Villa. I won't go into details but lets just say she was less than complementary about him.


Offline chrisw1

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #143 on: June 06, 2017, 05:35:25 PM »
I started following our club in 1989(ish) and have had many more good times than bad. I understand the dismantling of European Champions (albeit before my time) and the reluctance to really push on when we came close to cracking it in the 90's, but I find it hard to hate the man as so many do.

I started watching the Villa in 1989 and I absolute despise the prick.  One of my best mates is an Arsenal fan and in the early 90s they were in decline while we were going the other way.  Herbert could've invested to push us that bit further but instead he chose to line his own pockets with our money.  As a result, we're getting turned over by shit teams like Brentford whilst Arsenal fans are protesting because they haven't reached the Champions League for the first time in two decades!!

I've got more time for Randy Lerner than Doug.

This is how I feel.  A massive, massive lost opportunity.  And before anyone cites Leeds, there's a million miles between sensible but ambitious investment that would have pushed us to the next level and the reaching for the stars madness Risdale employed.

I'll never think fondly of Doug - to me he is a self serving ******.

Offline brian green

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #144 on: June 06, 2017, 05:46:52 PM »
I am a law abiding chap.  Geese have never had me say Boo to them, but if they have a minute's silence for Ellis I shall give it ten seconds then bawl at the top of my voice "Hello. Deadly is dead. Hello".

Offline Tony Erdington

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #145 on: June 06, 2017, 06:28:39 PM »
the way he refused to acknowledge the clubs greatest achievement , I would love it, just love it if we now removed the twats name from all things AVFC.


Offline cheltenhamlion

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #146 on: June 06, 2017, 06:37:48 PM »
His performance with the Barton family around the testimonial is still classed as unforgivable in my family.

Online ChicagoLion

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #147 on: June 06, 2017, 07:01:11 PM »
His performance with the Barton family around the testimonial is still classed as unforgivable in my family.
What happened?

Offline cheltenhamlion

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #148 on: June 06, 2017, 07:03:33 PM »
Oh dear. Dave and Legion tell it better.

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Herbert Ellis
« Reply #149 on: June 06, 2017, 10:03:16 PM »
His performance with the Barton family around the testimonial is still classed as unforgivable in my family.
What happened?

The 7" version. A date was arranged for a memorial game. The Albion agreed to be the opposition; not the most glamorous but fair play to them for doing it, we hadn't played them for a while and they were sure to bring a few hundred to boost the gate. Then the date was changed to a night when they had a supporters club function and naturally that took priority for them. At such short notice the only opposition that could be found was a Terry Venables XI. 

I was approached by the chair of the organising committee and asked if I could help in any way, which I did, as would everyone else. I asked the company I worked for at the time if they could help and they agreed to handle the PR. As their media officer put it, "I've never known anyone as awkward to deal with". 

Mrs Barton went to Villa Park for a meeting with Brian Little. This was when all the stuff about Leicester suing him was happening and as she arrived Ellis was just leaving reception. A couple of minutes later the phone rings: "Yes Mr Ellis. Of course Mr Ellis." The receptionist then told Mrs Barton that Brian was in a meeting with his solicitors for the rest of the day. Mrs Barton leaves, just as John Gregory arrives on the scene. He sprints up the stairs and lo & behold within seconds Brian Little appears. He invites Mrs Barton up to his office.

On the night before the match a dinner was held at the ICC. The day before, the committee chairman's car was broken into and his laptop stolen, which of course was pure coincidence but caused no end of aggravation. Prior to that, Villa employees had been warned off attending. The team were there as Brian Little had said it was a three line whip for the playing squad.

The Lord Mayor was due to attend, but at the last minute he pulled out for some reason that has never been explained. Every club imaginable had donated prizes for the auction. Bayern Munich gave an autographed matchball together with a signed note from Franz Beckenbauer, other clubs gave signed shirts and similar stuff. At one point Derby and Forest shirts were being auctioned together when a Forest director stood up and said, "Take the Derby shirt out and we'll replace it with two directors box tickets for the game with Villa, meals and drinks thrown in." The bids went up from £50 to £300 immediately.

Well, I say every club donated prizes. Can you guess the one that didn't? 

On the morning of the match I was with Gary Stevens (the Spurs one) as he tried to get a team together. Barry Fry, to his eternal credit, offered any three players (we went for Tait, Dominguez and Donowa) and said with more notice he would have sent the whole Blues team over.

On the evening of the match the Bartons arrived with a commemorative plaque they had been told could be installed in the North Stand reception. It wasn't. We went round the Trinity Road boxes getting donations from the box holders, who had got in free. We lasted about two minutes before Abdul Rashid stopped us. Lovely old Jack Watts looked at me and said, "What's he doing here?" Mrs Barton told him I was her guest. Nobody was allowed into the boardroom except Doug and his entourage.

Before the main match the '82 team played a Midlands veterans XI. They had to change in Stumps and walk across the car park then through the back of the North Stand.

After the game the donations that hadn't arrived in time for the dinner were auctioned by Peter Withe, who as you can imagine raised more money than anyone else would have. One club's contribution is still lost in the post. John Sillett walked up to Mrs Barton, told her he hadn't been able to buy anything and sneaked an indeterminate roll of notes into her pocket. Ron Saunders, manager of the '82 team, asked if he could get a car anywhere and was told he could call a cab from the North Stand reception. 

A few days later the organising committee was sent a bill for the food eaten by Doug's guests. But he's Villa through and through.



« Last Edit: July 02, 2017, 12:13:47 PM by dave.woodhall »

 


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