Villa fans appeased by cash boost

Aston Villa fans’ groups will “cease all protests” against chairman Doug Ellis and the board of directors after the club announced “significant funds” would be made available to manager David O’Leary this summer.

Villa Fans Combined (VFC) intended to step up their campaign against Ellis, who they blame for lack of investment in the club and particularly the first-team squad, before the end of the current campaign.

But VFC are prepared to “take the board at their word” over the money promised to O’Leary – believed to be between £15m (€21.9m) and £20m (€29.3m) – to bolster one of the smallest squads in the Barclays Premiership.

They have also been heartened by the three-year plan of chief executive Bruce Langham to take the club forward which includes the much needed redevelopment of the Bodymoor Heath training complex.

VFC spokesman Jonathan Fear, in a statement, said: “Villa Fans Combined is heartened by the positive messages coming from the manager (David O’Leary) and chief executive (Bruce Langham) of Aston Villa.

“Although fans remain sceptical following a good many false promises from Mr Ellis, we all want to believe that the board are indeed going to back the manager and make significant funds available.

“It appears the board have finally conceded that the golden era of youth promised for so long isn’t working out how they hoped – and that the squad the manager has been left with are not capable of competing at the level we would all hope to be competing at.

“Hopefully this shift in policy has been aided by Mr Langham starting to gain some control at Aston Villa.”

Fear continued: “We are pleased that the much-needed re-development of Bodymoor Heath training facilities will also go ahead and that Mr Langham has put in place a three-year plan.

“This is what Villa have needed for many years, clear and concise plans to take the club forward, not the usual panic management that we have witnessed over the previous 20 years.

“It is with this in mind – at a time where we were about to step up our actions – that we have decided we will take the board at their word and cease all protests this season.

“We hope that they follow through on their promises and that purchases are not funded by further player sales.

“It would be unwise of the board to mislead the fans again and I don’t believe the manager, the players or the fans would put up with anything short of positive action this summer.”