Doug Ellis: Everyone is to blame at Aston Villa

Former owner Sir Doug Ellis claims everyone at Aston Villa must accept blame for the club's plight - claiming relegation to the Championship is now a "certainty."

Ellis, who sold the claret and blues to Randy Lerner in 2006, also expressed disappointment at the American's reluctance to attend matches at Villa Park.

He said: "I'm rather sad the man I sold to hasn't given more of his time to come and see Aston Villa play.

"I'd love it (if he came to a game). He is available on the phone but not personally, in the director's box, which I believe he should."

Despite Lerner investing an estimated £250million into the club over the past decade, Villa have been in steady decline for more than five years.

They currently sit bottom of the Premier League table, eight points from safety with just 12 games to play. Ellis believes no-one at the club should be immune from criticism.

He said: "The only blame I can place is with the club as a whole, from the board of directors, to the manager, to the coaches, to the players.

"In the end it's the players who are really responsible. They have not been good enough. It's now a certainty (Villa) will be in the Championship next year."

Ellis, now 92, revealed he had received numerous calls from fans to return but while he ruled that out - on account of his age - he did question boss Remi Garde's training regime.

He said: "I would be investigating, if I was to interfere, on the amount of training that is done and the amount of extra training for certain players who have not been showing it on a match-day.

"Bring them back, even on a Sunday."