Villa supporters hit out at Ellis regime

[andy villa]

Originally Posted by teamtalk.com

Aston Villa Shareholders Association (AVSA) and Villa Fans Combined (VFC) have issued a joint statement expressing their dissatisfaction with events on and off the field during the 2005-06 campaign.

And they are concerned that the Midlands club could be heading out of the Premiership with manager David O'Leary having to adopt a 'sell-to-buy' policy in the summer.

The joint statement from AVSA and VFC reads: "Doug Ellis told fans in the final match of the season programme against Sunderland that 'we are moving in the right direction'.

"It would be nice if he could explain to all fans and shareholders exactly what that direction is?

"Does he mean in the direction of the Championship because that is where we are heading. Aston Villa should not be moving in any direction because we should already be there.

"Now we have no money, a tiny squad, a manager who is hugely unpopular and a set of fans who are leaving in their thousands.

"After 22 years of Doug Ellis' 'guidance' we are so far away from being a top-10 club that the board have had to revert to telling everyone Villa are the 'Kings of the Midlands'.

"That might be good enough for Ellis and our incumbent board but it isn't and never will be good enough for the fans, shareholders and the heritage of this fantastic club.

"If these people had any pride and self-respect, they would step down with immediate effect. None of them have or will."

The statement added: "David O'Leary has managed to deflect a great deal of anger away from Ellis this season with his disastrous public relations statements and poor team performances.

"But what is he expected to achieve next season - if indeed he remains as our manager - if he has to sell from an already wafer-thin squad before he can buy?

"No matter how bad a job the manager has done this season the main finger of blame has to point at Doug Ellis."

AVSA and VFC are also sceptical about the hopes of a takeover being pushed through this summer and believe Ellis is asking for too much money to sell Villa.

The statement says: "It is obvious that the bid from the Comers isn't coming - if indeed it ever was - so Mr Ellis can stop hiding behind that excuse.

"It is also evident that the asking price that he has set conflicts with the valuation put on the club by potential investors.

"They will not pay over the odds for the shares when they know at least £20million is needed to strengthen the team and a further £8million is needed for the Bodymoor Heath training ground redevelopment.

"It is all well and good saying that the club is in the hands of Rothschild and is up for sale but if the price isn't realistic, Ellis knows full well that it won't sell and the status quo remains."

The statement concludes: "Both the chairman and manager have treated the fans with a great deal of disrespect and the result has been only two attendances over 40,000 and a massive seven per cent drop in overall attendances.

"Next season promises to get much worse with many fans refusing to renew season tickets and talking about boycotting the club until Ellis has gone.

"If something doesn't happen this summer, next season will be yet another struggle on and off the pitch.

"It seems obvious that we have a joke of a chairman and a joke of a board. The only people once again left not laughing are the fans and shareholders of Aston Villa."

spot on, from both...

nice to see personal agendas put aside and a united stance from both for the good fight...

[andy villa]

Originally Posted by teamtalk

Chairman Doug Ellis has insisted he will not sell Aston Villa to anyone he fears is only looking to asset-strip the club.

Ellis, the club's major shareholder, has come under fire in a joint statement from the Aston Villa Shareholders' Association and Villa Fans' Combined groups who claim he is asking an unrealistic price.

A £64million takeover bid from a consortium fronted by Irish property developers, the Comer Brothers, appears to have sunk.

But Ellis is adamant he is not asking an inflated price for Villa who are in need of a new direction to help lift them out of the doldrums.

Ellis said: "There is no way I will allow Aston Villa to go to someone who might asset-strip. It's a responsibility and I take it. It's on my head

"But if the right people come in and really want to take the club forward then I'll treat it very seriously."

Ellis insisted: "I am not trying to sell cheap. What I have done is say 'I am prepared to sell'. We have given the job to (financial experts) Rothschilds and it is in their hands.

"They are aware whoever they recommend to come in must be football-minded and want to buy it for the business of football and not just to asset strip."

AVSA and VFC want Ellis and the board to resign amid concern that Villa could be heading for the Championship unless there is a dramatic upturn in fortunes.

he is a liar...

the club is over valued...

even with the land we own, which is having to be sold simply to cover running costs thanks to ellis poor running of the club, the share price is a realistic value of the club...

ellis might think we are worth more, and we SHOULD be worth more, but we are worth what we are worth because ellis has run us into the ground...

we are running at huge losses, and losing money every day, we are a shambles on the pitch and have no ideas how to reverse the slide...

we are also having to sell to buy to improve an already pitiful squad that has been culled to ridiculous proportions as money saving excercise..

so why does ellis think we are worth more?!?

and for the record, it wouldnt be worth anyone coming in to assett strip us...

to break us up and sell us off would cost more than then it would to sell the club and if they wanted... we have debts to pay, and naff all to cover them apart from the stadium, which is not worth 64 million...

even selling everything off, an assett stripper would not get enough money to make it a worthwhile profit...

so ellis is talking out of his arse as usual...