Fans Worried Over Villa Future

[From the Doug Out]

I not sure if this is posted elsewhere, but this snippet was in today's Daily Mail.

Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has had five major operations in the past year, but the frail 82-year-old, who was part of the FA international committee party in Cologne, says he has no intention of selling his club unless he receives an offer that he 'just can't refuse'

So can't find a buyer becomes didn't get good enough offer, spin, spin and spin again. Where's a Russian billionaire when you need him most? I fear our hopes have been dacha-ed for good on that one.

[Dave Clark Five]

I not sure if this is posted elsewhere, but this snippet was in today's Daily Mail.

Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has had five major operations in the past year, but the frail 82-year-old, who was part of the FA international committee party in Cologne, says he has no intention of selling his club unless he receives an offer that he 'just can't refuse'

So can't find a buyer becomes didn't get good enough offer, spin, spin and spin again. Where's a Russian billionaire when you need him most? I fear our hopes have been dacha-ed for good on that one.

We need to know what he has put in his will.

[From the Doug Out]

Waiting for Godot is at least over although without being overly reliant on the metaphor we were probably Waiting for Vladimir and he isn't coming, something less to worry about.

The worry now though is that the tired old guy whose shoes are hurting is still in charge, we need lucky!

I'm sick of worrying but can't help it.

[ROBBO]

When this cretin has gone all reminders of his time at Villa should be removed, history will deem him to be a disaster for our club. When Villa was turned into a P.L.C instead of benefitting the club it just made a fortune for Ellis, remember he still takes three hundred thousand a year for doing what precisely.

[JD]

I worried that come the first game of the season we will be hopeful if we only lose by 3 goals. What a great start we have to look forward to.  ](*,)

[peter w]

Well hopefuilly this will expose O Clown, and get rid of his tag as a lucky manager. If he is indeed a lucky manager Henry will be ill, Ljunberg too traumatised by Mellberg to play wee, Fabregas becomes homesick for Spain, the rest of trhem suffer hang-oves from the WC, and Lehmann is in goal. And we scrape a 1-1 draw, then we win 3 on the bounce.

The likelihood is that we'll be somewhere near the bottom getting ready for a struggle. I think he'll be out Sept/October time. The mood of the fans will turn ugly next season. I think it will be the season that breaks the camels back. The momentum of anti-O Clown sentiment was building and it will only take a run of reversals to ignite it again.

really, I think next season is a watershed. O Clown will be out, and the anger won't stop there. Ellis will not be able to appease us with a Villa appointee after the Clown has gone. he will be the target for the anger until he is removed. I think there is a feeling of anger bubbling under the surface for most Villa fans that is only abated as we're in the summer. Whether its anti O Clown, or Ellis, they both will come to the fore next season. Its inevitable. Whether we go down or not, and lets be frank, there is every chance of it happening, we all expect to struggle. The first sign of it happening and Ellis will be reminded that he has been there too long, and his seeming intransigence, will force his hand.

Next season will be shambolic at the club because Ellis down have deemed it that way. What is happening is obviously going to affect the players. They are all ambitious and the stench of rotting wood is coming out of VP.

Should we be worried? As this could be the change that we all hope for. Well, yes. because this could be a knife in the back of Aston Villa that changes who we are for ever. We are no longer a big club with pedigree. But a laughing joke that is like an unwelcome Aunt and Uncle at a family function that just stick around for too long. We have become Coventry. Our demise will be welcomed in the top flight.

This is all too real, and all too sad.

[ROBBO]

You know how I feel about Oleary Pete but even with the best manager going I think he would struggle under the rancid breath of the cretin that supposedly chairs the club, given the choice I would gladly see Ellis gone and keep the comedian. I have never in the last thirty years seen this club so rudderless the other board members should hand their heads for alowwing themselves to be used as a nodding tool by Ellis. But we ourselves also must take some of the blame for being so bloody divided that no protest with even a skeric of a chance of success has ever been undertaken. What happened to that guy that was on here a couple of months ago wanting to get something happening?

[peter w]

Mike Mckenna? No idea. Probably given up like the rest of us. I agree Robbo. The problems all stem from Ellis and his acolytes. because that's what the are. Its not a board. The Clown is a useless manager and should have been sacked on the back of last seasons debacle. But he wasn't. Ellis is prepared to gamble on our postion in the Prem to save himself some money, when the opposite needs to happen. Yes, I understand that cut-backs need to happen, but who negotiated the huge salary of the manager, and his contracr in the first place. Who sacked Langham? Ellis is driving the club into the ground, O Clown, the team. Either way it will be the manager who goes first.

As I said I truly believe that the underbelly of discontent that was starting to build last season will reach a deafening crescendo within 5 or 6 games if we look, and play, anything like we did last season. you can sense it. i will be very surprised if O Leary is here come Novemebr. I'll be astounded if Ellis is come the end of the season. I think that the fans will unite in the fight next season. The only thing that will avert this is a good start. Arsenal away ensures that won't happen. Woe betide O Clown and Ellis if we then lose at home to reading.

[dave.woodhall]

But we ourselves also must take some of the blame for being so bloody divided that no protest with even a skeric of a chance of success has ever been undertaken.

This 'divided fanbase.' What does it really mean? Does it mean that there's a civil war, with two sides funded by outside sources looking to further their own interests? Or does it mean that Villa supporters, like every other group of people on earth, have differing opinions?

There's a tendency amongst those on the internet who want rid of Doug to say that we should all do exactly as they bid and if we don't, we're 'splitting the fans'. Why should they take the blame for anything?

[Chris Smith]

I agree with Dave on this. If those hoping to foment revolution fail to mobilise the masses they have to ask themselves are their powers of persuasion lacking or is the message they are peddling the wrong one, rather than blame everyone else for being apathetic.

[peter w]

Chris, how can you agree with Dave if your point is a completely different one. When a clubs fans attempt to get rid of the man at the top they must have a united aim, and a support base to be able to carry through with the pressure being put on the board. There can be no differing of opinions. Ellis does not divide opinion because we all want him out. he is driving the club to breaking point. There is a divided fanbase, in that we don't know how best to do it. Its not civil war its divide and conquer.

Chris, your point is completely different. You're asking about powers of persuasion as if that alone can unite a divided fanbase. If that is true, and it may well be, then you have to take as your basic premise a fanbase that is divided.


Of course its divided, you can't mention Jon Fear, and VFC, without public ridicule on here. The same goes with certain people on H&V and the Supporters Trust to other people.

We're not united. We do a lot of posturing about he said that, and they want this, and they do that. Without getting much done. We're all guilty of it to some degree.

[dave.woodhall]

Ellis does not divide opinion because we all want him out.

No we don't, and that's the point Chris & I are making. Most people who attend Villa Park on matchdays haven't got strong feelings about him one way or the other. There's an extremely vocal minority who claim that 'everyone' agrees with them but other elements somehow cause division.

[peter w]

No, its O Leary that divides opinion. If we had a poll asking who thinks Ellis should remain in charge do you really think it wouldn't be a landslide wanting him to removed?

The problems at the club stem from one man. He needs to go. I'll be surprised if there is anyone even on here who would say, 'No keep Ellis in charge. He's doing fine'.


I'll defy you to find one poster.

[dave.woodhall]

'On here' isn't the problem. 'On the internet' isn't the problem either.

But there's a world of difference between a website that a couple of hundred people use and 30,000-odd people on a matchday. Most football supporters just want to watch football, and haranguing them for being apathetic and divided isn't going to rally them to any cause.

[peter w]

And shrugging your shoulders is? Let me go on by saying that I haven't mentioned apathy, divided, haranguing, as part of next season. My posting today started by stating that after a few games a continuation of last season will see people's anger come to the fore. There will be no apathy, as I get the feeling that the anger is still simmering from last season.



We're all full of poo-poohing ideas, but short of putting things forward. We are divided as a club fan base, we are apathetic to a degree. But, as I said, I think that is in the short-term. Emotions get stirred up very quickly in 3 areas. religion, politics, and your football club. Ellis has misjudged this one and will be found wanting next term.