Former Aston Villa captain Andy Townsend has called on the club's chairman Doug Ellis to stand down following the departure of manager John Gregory last week. The former Republic of Ireland skipper believes Ellis is too set in his ways and should step aside after two decades in charge at the Premiership club and allow someone with "real guts" to take Villa forward.
Gregory walked out on the club last week after four years in charge following the breakdown of his relationship with Ellis over the lack of funds available to bring in new players to the club and Townsend believes that it is time for Ellis to stand down also.
"Doug has come in for a lot of stick and no-one can question his loyalty and his support for Aston Villa over the years. It's been fantastic," admitted Townsend. "But, as a chairman, if you want to be up there with the very best, then you've got to be dynamic and ambitious."
"You've got to be prepared to stump up the money. Doug is very blinkered and set in his ways and you're not going to change him very easily. But I think it's time for him to step down. He should stay at the club on an ambassadorial basis and get someone in there with some real guts about him that can take the club forward," he added.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
