Doug Ellis urges Aston Villa to stick by Alex McLeish

Doug Ellis
© PA Photos
Former Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis believes that Alex McLeish deserves the chance to prove his worth as manager and that sacking the Scotsman would be "foolish".

The former Birmingham City boss has come under increasing pressure from the supporters after the Midlands side slumped to just three points above the relegation zone.

"It would be foolish for McLeish to go," Ellis told the Birmingham Mail. "Despite the fact most of the fans are upset he came from Birmingham, McLeish is a good manager.

"The game is not about management, it is about players. Villa have three, four, five established first-team players who are injured and we have to bring in the kids.

"But they will not go down. Villa have three more matches, a three-point gap above the bottom three, a better goal difference, and need three points to be certain."

Villa owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner released a joint statement expressing their support of McLeish.
Tables
TeamPGDPTS
1Manchester United384389
2Manchester City383278
3Chelsea383675
4Arsenal383573
5Tottenham Hotspur382072
6Everton381563
7Liverpool382861
8West Bromwich Albion38-449
9Swansea City38-446
10West Ham United38-846
11Norwich City38-1744
12Fulham38-1043
13Stoke City38-1142
14Southampton38-1141
15Aston Villa38-2241
16Newcastle United38-2341
17Sunderland38-1339
RWigan Athletic38-2636
RReading38-3028
RQueens Park Rangers38-3025