[andy villa]

Bruce Langham sensationally resigned as Chief Executive of Villa barely 12 months after taking over because of a "difference of opinion" with Doug Ellis.

The 57 year old, who was at Fulham for two years until 2003, announced his departure to the stock exchange yesterday.

A club spokesman stated "It was a difference of opinion over the strategy for taking the club forward."

It is believed they fell out over sweeping redundancies that Langham wanted to get rubber-stamped after a lenthy review of the clubs off field operations.

One job under threat is that of long serving commercial manager Abdul Rashid, who may now find that he has won a reprieve.

And that could spell trouble for Marketing Manager Phil Smith. Rashid had been told to reapply for a newly defined role which could end a 28-year full time association with Villa.

Langham, who undertook his duties on May 10th 2004, announced to the press on his arrival that he was not going to be Ellis 'nodding dog'.

Only recently he stated that he could only run the club with the support of his fellow board members.

Langham said then "There is a conception that Aston Villa is Doug Ellis and Doug Ellis runs Aston Villa".

"The strategic plan i put to the board was approved by the whole board and that's how the club is run. The bottom line is that i am Chief Executive of a plc and have a responsibility to run the club in a proper manner and i can only do that in co-operation with the board. Aston Villa is not run by one man.

With rumours flying round that Villa are split down the middle between employees who have backed Langham over the past year and those who are still staunch supporters of the Chairman there could be more exits on the cards.