Sir Doug Ellis

[VillaChris]

10 hours ago, MellbergsBeard said:

He was sat behind me in the holte end back in the o’Neil days, spoke to everyone around him and signed programmes for everyone. 

I remember seeing someone I think put a photo of that on facebook or twitter. Couldn't quite believe it was him but guess after all the years of abuse from the stand, he wanted to sit there to get a different perspective of the game and see what all the fuss was about now he was out of the limelight.

Good on him, sure the people around you were equally as stunned as you at seeing him there!

[TRO]

7 hours ago, imavillan said:

you may be right....but why say it then.....why not wait???

How long?

[sheepyvillian]

5 hours ago, CosmicVillan said:

I think it was more of a residency to be fair..that guy really let himself go

That hairstyle of his must have really added to the occasion. 

[krisagg75]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 18:56, briny_ear said:

It’s conventional when someone dies to show a bit of grace and reflect on the loss their family will be feeling, as well as the passing of another life and all it has achieved.

I regret to say this thread isn't always living up to those expectations. Dredging up old niggles, feuds, disappointments, etc. Isn’t really very appropriate IMHO just at this moment.

 

talk to tony bartons family,a real villa man 

[Robtaylor200]

As a 60 year old fan, I remember Doug well and got his autograph many times. One particular game was at Hednesford Town in a friendly . He chatted to me and my lad for quite some time. 

What ever your thoughts of the guy only a few of us on here are actually old enough to remember him and not remember what we have been told about him

And at the end of the day he became an old man who rarely missed a game home or away rain or shine. Sat in his big coat, hat and old Villa scarf cheering on the lads

I hope respect is shown for him on Saturday and not spoiled by the ignorant 

[MikeMcKenna]

My condolences to Mr Ellis's family.

However, he was never "Mr. Aston Villa", and made a life of misery for a generation of Villa fans and I will not mourn his passing.

I can think of absolutely nothing to thank him for. He refused to acknowledge the legacy of winning the European for 25 years. Got rid of some of our best players when we should have been building on our success. Destroyed Tony Barton. Refused to protect the historical integrity of the Trinity Road. Named a stand after himself. Constantly interfered in the football management of the club and failed to support managers at critical junctures. He took out £ millions but put little in apart from the pittance he paid to Bendall. He profited hugely through the club's share offering while ordinary supporters saw their shares plunge in value. paid himself over £20 million in dividend payments between 1998-2003. Took salary of over £4 million between 1985 and 2006. Made £29 million selling the club to Randy Lerner.

He was only ever Herbert Douglas Ellis who viewed Villa as his personal cash machine and as means to boost his ego.

 

Ta ra!

[baldivisvilla]

3 hours ago, MikeMcKenna said:

My condolences to Mr Ellis's family.

However, he was never "Mr. Aston Villa", and made a life of misery for a generation of Villa fans and I will not mourn his passing.

I can think of absolutely nothing to thank him for. He refused to acknowledge the legacy of winning the European for 25 years. Got rid of some of our best players when we should have been building on our success. Destroyed Tony Barton. Refused to protect the historical integrity of the Trinity Road. Named a stand after himself. Constantly interfered in the football management of the club and failed to support managers at critical junctures. He took out £ millions but put little in apart from the pittance he paid to Bendall. He profited hugely through the club's share offering while ordinary supporters saw their shares plunge in value. paid himself over £20 million in dividend payments between 1998-2003. Took salary of over £4 million between 1985 and 2006. Made £29 million selling the club to Randy Lerner.

He was only ever Herbert Douglas Ellis who viewed Villa as his personal cash machine and as means to boost his ego.

 

Ta ra!

This 100%

[dont_do_it_doug.]

You won't find many people under the age of 40, who up until fairly recently, disliked Ellis as much as me. I went on all the marches as a teenager, I rallied against his every move, against the revisionist history of his reign. I thought he was a penny pincher and a narcissist who put his own interests above those of the club, above those of it's fans. In my older age I have come to think he wasn't such a bad football club owner, certainly not as bad a human being as I once thought after all. Maybe it is whimsical notions like actually challenging for league titles, cup finals and putting trophies in the cabinet that have changed my mind. Or perhaps it was seeing his roller at away games in the depths of winter, knowing I could barely stand to watch the bilge on display in the driving snow never mind what a trudge it must be for a 90 year old man. Maybe I have become the revisionist. 

He wasn't necessarily a bad bloke, he was a bloke who made bad decisions at often the most inappropriate times and he outstayed his welcome by quite a few years all told, but in the end that isn't enough for me to sit here and disparage the man personally. A man who gave so much to charity, decades of his life to the club (good and bad) and as painfully misguided as he was at times genuinely thought he was doing what was required to make Aston Villa successful. Even if I have no doubt that personal success, financial or otherwise, was never too far from his mind. 

One thing he could do was spot a football manager. Ron Saunders, Ron Atkinson, Brian Little, John Gregory. Even Jozef Venglos can be looked on as an innovative move by a man determined to squeeze every ounce out of our resources. I would go as far as to say Dean Smith feels very much like an Ellis appointment. 

Ultimately he leaves behind a wife, a family, and my condolences go out to them. I hope they take solace from the fact he had a bloody good innings and more importantly he lived his dream, even if those dreams didn't always tally with my own. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by dont_do_it_doug.

[baldivisvilla]

1 minute ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

You won't find many people under the age of 40, who up until fairly recently, disliked Ellis as much as me. I went on all the marches as a teenager, I rallied against his every move, against the revisionist history of his reign. I thought he was a penny pincher and a narcissist who put his own interests above those of the club, above those of it's fans. In my older age I have come to think he wasn't such a bad football club owner, certainly not as bad a human being as I once thought after all. Maybe it is whimsical notions like actually challenging for league titles, cup finals and putting trophies in the cabinet that have changed my mind. Or perhaps it was seeing his roller at away games in the depths of winter, knowing I could barely stand to watch the bilge on display in the driving snow never mind what a trudge it must be for a 90 year old man. Maybe I have become the revisionist. 

He wasn't always a bad bloke, he was a bloke who made bad decisions at often the most inappropriate times and he outstayed his welcome by quite a few years all told, but in the end that isn't enough for me to sit here and disparage the man personally. A man who gave so much to charity, decades of his life to the club (good and bad) and as painfully misguided as he was at times genuinely thought he was doing what was required to make Aston Villa successful. Even if I have no doubt that personal success, financial or otherwise, was never too far from his mind. 

One thing he could do was spot a football manager. Ron Saunders, Ron Atkinson, Brian Little, John Gregory. Even Jozef Venglos can be looked on as an innovative move by a man determined to squeeze every ounce out of our resources. I would go as far as to say Dean Smith feels very much like an Ellis appointment. 

Ultimately he leaves behind a wife, a family, and my condolences go out to them. I hope they take solace from the fact he had a bloody good innings and more importantly he lived his dream, even if those dreams didn't always tally with my own. 

Have a read of Sir William Dugdales autobiography, He states that of all the board members only Ellis was against appionting Ron Saunders. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

4 minutes ago, baldivisvilla said:

Have a read of Sir William Dugdales autobiography, He states that of all the board members only Ellis was against appionting Ron Saunders. 

Fair enough. True or not (he is David Cameron's uncle) it doesn't much change the general gist of what I'm trying to say. 

I don't expect everyone will agree and completely understand if they don't. I guess part of it is having helped to lead the charge against an actual narcissist in Lerner and having now grown up in a world seemingly full of them, my views on Ellis the person and the owner have softened quite a bit. This has come into sharp focus for me at the time of his passing. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by dont_do_it_doug.

[baldivisvilla]

11 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Fair enough. True or not (he is David Cameron's uncle) it doesn't much change the general gist of what I'm trying to say. 

I don't expect everyone will agree and completely understand if they don't. I guess part of it is having helped to lead the charge against an actual narcissist in Lerner and having now grown up in a world seemingly full of them, my views on Ellis the person and the owner have softened quite a bit. This has come into sharp focus for me at the time of his passing. 

I reckon Doug wrote the handbook on narcissism.

[The Fun Factory]

1 hour ago, baldivisvilla said:

Have a read of Sir William Dugdales autobiography, He states that of all the board members only Ellis was against appionting Ron Saunders. 

From what I have heard Saunders did not get on with Ellis at all. Had Doug become chairman in 1978 again, Saunders would have probably quit.

[NIVillan]

10 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

From what I have heard Saunders did not get on with Ellis at all. Had Doug become chairman in 1978 again, Saunders would have probably quit.

Though I was too young to know what was going on at the time, Late Seventies there was a boardroom battle where it was basically Ellis vs Saunders.  I think Saunders stood up at a Shareholders meeting to speak against Ellis.  Luckily Saunders won the battle.  Ellis left the Club and I think invested in Wolves.

 

 

 

[sidcow]

14 hours ago, baldivisvilla said:

I reckon Doug wrote the handbook on narcissism.

They are lovely flowers, let you know summer is on the way.

[briny_ear]

On 13/10/2018 at 22:08, krisagg75 said:

talk to tony bartons family,a real villa man 

Are you suggesting Tony Barton’s family would endorse the nowty negative comments on this thread? I don’t see any evidence of that.

Sorry if I’ve misunderstood your comment, it was a bit cryptic.

Edited October 18, 2018 by briny_ear

[blandy]

2 hours ago, briny_ear said:

it was a bit cryptic

I took it to relate to the shockingly disgraceful way Ellis treated Rose Barton and her family after the death of Tony Barton.

[Mark Albrighton]

41 minutes ago, blandy said:

I took it to relate to the shockingly disgraceful way Ellis treated Rose Barton and her family after the death of Tony Barton.

I hadn’t heard about that, what’s the story there? 

[Dave-R]

Friday 9th November the funeral by looks of it..

Didn't know he was on the board for blues in 1964..

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/heres-funeral-sir-doug-ellis-15299599

Doug's custome plated Rolls Royce, is a beauty.

Edited October 18, 2018 by Dave-R

[briny_ear]

13 hours ago, blandy said:

I took it to relate to the shockingly disgraceful way Ellis treated Rose Barton and her family after the death of Tony Barton.

I think the question still remains of whether his family would approve of the character assassination that is going on in some parts of this thread.

Maybe, maybe not, but I think it is probably for them to say it, not others on their behalf seeking another piece of mud to sling.

[briny_ear]

On 17/10/2018 at 10:39, NIVillan said:

Though I was too young to know what was going on at the time, Late Seventies there was a boardroom battle where it was basically Ellis vs Saunders.  I think Saunders stood up at a Shareholders meeting to speak against Ellis.  Luckily Saunders won the battle.  Ellis left the Club and I think invested in Wolves.

 

 

 

Probably worth reading this story in the context of what subsequently happened between Saunders and the Villa board (minus Ellis). If the simplistic story being spun here is Ellis bad/rest of Villa Board good, I think a slightly broader look at the history of Villa in the late 70s/early 80s is needed.