Ellis praise for O’Leary

ASTON VILLA boss David O’Leary has been hailed for producing “the best playing season for many years,” by chairman Doug Ellis even though the club announced a loss of more than £10m for the past financial year.

The midlands club announced a profit of £7.3m - a rise of £7.1m on the previous year - in their preliminary results for the year ending May 31, 2004. However the figures do not include player trading.

Villa reported an “exceptionally high level of loss on disposal of players” - £5.6m - and a reduction in value of playing assets of £12.2m. Overall turnover increased 23% to £55.9m.