Ellis defends O'Leary in St Andrews row
19/10/2005 - 16:51:05Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has pledged to back manager David O’Leary as he prepares to face a Football Association charge after allegedly swearing at referee Graham Poll.
O’Leary’s outburst towards Poll came after he ran across the St Andrews pitch to salute Ellis after Villa’s 1-0 win over Birmingham on Sunday.
Ellis insists such behaviour is out of character from O’Leary and he is asking the FA to take into account the context of what happened minutes after Villa’s first league win over Blues in 18 years.
Ellis told the Birmingham Mail: “I have never heard David O’Leary swear, absolutely never. It is usually a death knell when a chairman supports a manager but my support in this case for the manager is not the ’normal’ support.
“What he did was in the heat of the moment. If he has ever sworn, I cannot remember it. I have no doubt that he uses strong language in the dressing room but I hope that the FA view his actions in the context of the game.
“I liked the manager’s gesture. It was emotional, spur of the moment and spontaneous.”
O’Leary is to request a personal hearing with the FA to answer the charge.
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