Villa fans turn up the heat on club chairman

ASTON VILLA fans are planning a march in protest against chairman Doug Ellis before the club’s next home match with Southampton in 12 days time.

And millionaire supporter Howard Hodgson who produced the 'Hodgson Report' on the state of affairs at Villa earlier this year is calling on major shareholder Ellis to quit.

Hodgson and other fans under the umbrella of Villa Fans Combined (VFC) are concerned at the club's precarious plight just one point above the Barclaycard Premiership relegation zone.

Manager David O'Leary's relationship with Ellis is also under severe strain and he is unlikely to receive a substantial sum to spend during the January transfer window to improve the squad.

Hodgson said: "The warning signs are there for Mr Ellis. We are in grave danger of being relegated and the situation is as bad as when Brian Little took over in 1994.

"It is a very serious situation and it would be wholly appropriate if Mr Ellis was going to leave Villa.

"If David O'Leary does walk away from Villa, then he would be the fourth manager in a row since Ron Atkinson to leave of his own accord and it just proves that people can't put up with the chairman.

"We (VFC) are organising a protest march before the game against Southampton and our long-term aim is to make sure that Mr Ellis at least steps down as chief executive because we want the right people in to make the plc work. Unless performances improve, we are looking down the barrel of a shotgun and staring relegation in the eye. If Mr Ellis loves Villa, as he says he does, then he should leave," he said.