Ellis feels heat as discontent at Villa mounts

Doug Ellis, the Aston Villa chairman, has been accused by shareholders of ruining the club's chances of Champions League qualification through a lack of investment in new players. Buck Chinn, chairman of the Villa Shareholders' Association, claimed that Ellis should have been sanctioning the money for recruits last summer. Chinn further insisted that fans were "heartily sick" of Villa being a "nearly club".

Doug Ellis, the Aston Villa chairman, has been accused by shareholders of ruining the club's chances of Champions League qualification through a lack of investment in new players. Buck Chinn, chairman of the Villa Shareholders' Association, claimed that Ellis should have been sanctioning the money for recruits last summer. Chinn further insisted that fans were "heartily sick" of Villa being a "nearly club".

The campaign by fans against Ellis, Villa's main shareholder, has gained momentum. On Saturday supporters held up pound note signs before the home game with Newcastle United for the second match running in protest at the lack of investment in players and chanted "we want Ellis out" at the end.

That followed on from several senior players - including Paul Merson, Gareth Southgate and David James - urging the club to invest now in new players as injuries and suspensions mount. James has stalled over a new contract while Southgate has insisted he would remain on the transfer list because "nothing has changed" at the club. The manager, John Gregory's, frustration has also reached breaking point and he left Villa Park within 15 minutes of the final whistle on Saturday.

Chinn said: "It should have been obvious to him [Ellis] before the season kicked off that the squad was not strong enough. Doug Ellis has now left it too late for us to go for one of the Champions' League positions and the latest placard protest showed that the supporters are heartily sick of Villa being a nearly team.

"We should have been bringing in new players a long time ago. As it is, we're down to the bare bones and the chairman needs to do something very quickly to salvage our season."

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