Fairwell Doug

I was reading the BBC article about Doug Ellis's departure today and I think they don't give Villa fans enough credit.

Yes we did want him out above all else but that didn't mean we don't respect what he's given the club. Yes you could argue that he's held the club back in the last few years but he maintained that he would only sell to a worthy buyer and he seems to have been true to his word.

Ok it's fair to say that he held on for too long. He should have gone when John Gregory left - that was when I'd had enough of him. But you can't give nearly 40 years of your life to something unless you are truly devoted to it.

Some of the more spiteful fans will no doubt be saying 'good riddance' but I think you have to see it like you would see the death of an elderly relative. I'm sure they would have had their faults but it's usually their strengths that they are remembered by. Ok we were more successful in the three years that he wasn't the chairman but in the 1990's we were regularly a top five team and taking part in European competitions.

As for the future, I think that aiming for UEFA qualification is a good start and then maybe in a couple of seasons (provided the gates go up and stay up) we can start a real challenge for the league.

On a seperate note, hurrah for stupidity.

Three grown adults go out for a birthday drink three nights before they are required to play a football match and come back just over two hours late. Naturally you should treat said adults as a bunch of naughty children and stop them from taking part in the very thing the curfew was for. If it means Olaf doesn't get injured and gets a nice rest for Saturday then fine by me, I'm not Swedish. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.