Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Tuesday September 5 2006
Time: 3:29PM
UK time is: 14:45:15
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Doug Ellis Stand Should Remain?
Rename the Doug Ellis Stand?
I have had a change of heart on a much debated subject I would like to share with you.
A short while ago HDE was the owner of our great club and was seen by many including me as the real reason behind a torturous period in our history where we seemed to be slowly slipping under with no way back.
We have put up with our best players moving on to mediocre clubs, bad managers paying fortunes for rubbish and lies from the top about massive transfer budgets that never materialised. But we stayed there, each week cheering whatever was put out onto the field.
At this time it seemed like having his name on his own stand was like having someone slap you in the face and then graffiti their name on your house - it took the mickey.
Events of late have lightened my mood somewhat and now I am confident we have the right owner and manager to end the torture and allow us to compete on a level equal to our stature in terms of size and history.
I think the Doug Ellis stand should keep its name as a reminder to all the real Villa fans of what we have been through as a group of supporters. It should stand there as testament to our commitment to support our club.
The Villa fans of the future should be able to see the Doug Ellis stand so they can ask who he was and learn about our history and hopefully appreciate how good they will have it.
I think it should also be there as we can use it as an incentive for the club. i.e. we will give it the name of the captain who next wins the league/cup.
I know most people hate Doug but in time to come we may look back and wish we'd have kept our history.
Poll suggested and put up: Do we rename the Doug Ellis Stand
Yes name it anything
No I liked Doug
No keep for history
Yes but only for sponsorship
Yes but only to Villa Player Name
Yes back to Witton Lane Stand
Article By TylerVilla
We did a poll on this last month: http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=27541 The results were A massive 61% said back to the Witton Lane Stand. 16% said the Ron Saunders Stand, 11% voted for the William McGregor Stand, An amazing 7% voted to keep the Doug Ellis Stand and only 4% said the Tony Barton Stand. Just 1% went for the 'I can't stand up for falling down' Elvis Costello option!!!!
So have you changed your view? I must admit I've not, just because he is about to go doesn't change what has happened, the stand should never have been renamed by him or his cronies and it will remain a disgrace until the day it is changed back or re-named. I remember when we put it as a resolution at the AV agm. One of the directors, Hales I think, scoffed and said they couldn't be up and down the ladders changing the name each week, saying they'd more important things to do. Well, I never heard even ONE Villa fan ask them to re-name it in the first place! JF.
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Your Comments
Just remanme it. I really don't care what, but I just want all memories and references to Doug Ell*s banished as soon as possible!
DeanoVilla
I agree we should have kept our history. That's why it should have never been renamed the Doug Ellis stand
Steve W
Hear, hear Deano. I think as well renaming the stand will send the right message to Ell*s. Ie. "P*ss off and don't come back."
The Usual Suspect
I have said before knock it down, ghosts of days gone are bad news. Something twice as big, named the Randy end sounds good to me.
TeddyLyon
A stand should be named something in Honour of somthing like the Saunders stand etc. Why dont we rename a toilet (as it what we did while was in charge) HDE powder room etc. That way Ellis will still have his name on something.
NY Villa
I still call it the Witton Lane Stand even now, so I would be happy for this to go back - Alternatively, if we are going to stick with a name, then it has to be Ron Saunders.
VillaBob
In my opinion it should be named the Randy Stand
leelindsay
If Ellis had made any sort of significant contribution to the development of Aston Villa then I would say leave the stand named after him.
But he has not. All he had done is drag down a great club. A portaloo in a corner is all Ellis deserves to have his name hung on.
DoogieTyBrenin
ok i get it.....on my own on my own on my own.
tylervilla
He got his lad to build it and had the pride to name it after himself. That's sickening in itself. Unless Stride said, 'I've got a good idea master'. Anything please. What about 'the stand of Fear'. No other fans would know why but it would scare the hell out of them!
Gazvilla
I would keep it, to be honest. But just like when Doug Ellis owned the club, it`s down to Randy Lerner what he decides to do.
Fletch
Keep the name, we can rename it after he dies ;)
samc
Rename it, the sooner the better..have those of you who think we shouldn't all gone mad????? ALL traces of HDE should be removed from OUR club the second he walks out that door for the last time.
Goodbye and good ridance to him!!
jonah
Tyler, you're not on your own, I agree with you. Doug did put time, effort and a bit of money into Villa. Yes, we only achieved things when he wasn't in charge, but it's thanks to him that Randy takes over a club that isn't millions in debt. And in this day & age that's a very rare thing. Do you think that if we had debts of millions Randy would have even considered taking over? Doug did ok in my book.
sak0101
change it and forget that old git
samtozer
I personally do not want to hear his name again.
LeoTheLion
'Put a bit of money into the club' sak0101? Are you serious? When? Rename the stand, it must revert back to being called The Witton Lane Stand. Leaving the old boy's name on it is wrong, a slap in the face to all, a constant reminder of a man who totally failed with his mission.
glensider
Doug who?
Christo
Simple really. Name it whatever earns the most money from a long-term stadium sponsorship deal. In the meantime just remove the name Doug Ellis from it and call the original name ir the Witton Lane Stand. If anyone wants to honour Doug Ellis I suggest you put a statue in the North Car Park - but Ellis should pay for it!
villacross
How quickly people forget Tony Barton!
sandgroanun
I disagree with the whole concept of naming things after people (just how many Winnie Mandela streets, houses, schools etc did we have in Brum??). Just call it what it is, The Witton Lane Stand. That'll do for me. (Although I must admit I like the "Stand of Fear" suggestion!).
Beovilla
Doug Ellis has left Aston Villa in a very healthy state, the club own their ground and have minimal debt, and they still remain in the premier league. When he took over the club it was in a much worse state, although the take over will be very positive for the club and move it forward, no American billionnaire would have even considered investment if it wasn't in its current state.
The reason that several consortia were interested in the club was because of the work of the current chairman and the the board. Without Doug Ellis this club would still be stuck in the lower divisions, and while a takeover is a good thing now i find it unbelievable that people are even considering this!
AVFC
AVFC? Are you HDE in disguise?
chocolate teapot
I remember the dark days of the late sixties, Doug should be remembered (along with Pat Matthews) as the saviour of the club.
His only crime has been hanging on for too long.
Though to be fair this is the first bona fide offer & the one that was right for AVFC.
Let us all show a bit of class & let the man retire with dignity.
Willie Willie Anders
I think we should keep it as a rreminder of what we went through, to show a couple of years from now, that we have come out the woodworks and persevered a bad time in our history.
AussieVilla
Just think what could have happened if he had sold out previously to the consortium of property developers who mysteriously withdrew their bid after Villa sold off some of their land.
Ellis has ensured that the club has been sold on to someone who will give it a solid and secure future, and although people say that he should have left sooner he cant just walk out as he owns the majority of the shares.
Although i do blame him for appointing Oleary as manager, he clearly has no ability to motivate or manage any form of football team at any level!
Ellis is leaving the club after agreeing a sale in the best of circumstances regarding the clubs current financial situation and with Martin Oneil in as manager, and Lerner helping the club forward. It is because of the way the club has been run in the past by Ellis that we now have the potentially successful future, as Lerner wouldn't have invested if the club wasnt in its current state. I think it is a bit sad that someone who has invested money in the best possible way is being so harshly criticised, as i know he has made a profit from the initial money he invested but he could have choosen to invest it into a more profitable investment than a football club and he could have made a much greater profit.
lol no im not HDE
AVFC
AVFC. I must disagree. You are HDE!! Either that or you are giving us your views from a padded cell!! Ellis and the Pat Mathews consortium must be recognised for saving the club in 1968. This and the subsequent years was responsible in no uncertain terms for our success in the early 80's despite Ellis no longer being with the club. However he should never have come back in 1982. We were Champions of Europe even though there was a debt of £1.6 million. He leaves us 24 years later £12 million in debt and as footballing also rans. The stadium is good but could have been so much better. The trophy is room has seen the addition of a couple of League Cups and er .......... nothing else. He should be allowed to retire gracefully because of his efforts in the 60's and 70's. The Witton Lane Stand should then be renamed after he dies and not before. Lets show some decency and respect. It shows more class than some of the rabid inflamatory comments on this forum.
voiceoftheholte
I seem to remember that HDE claimed to have returned from holiday to find that the other directors had renamed the stand in his absence. If that's true it must be the only time they have ever made a decision without him.
chocolate teapot
Funny and agree chocolate teapot. I still think it should be burned to the ground and replaced with a shiny new one and call it the Randy End.
TeddyLyon
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