Angry Villa fan returns season ticket... And club sends it back

An exasperated Aston Villa fan who sent back his season tickets to bosses at the rock-bottom Premier League club has been left aghast – after bosses promptly sent them back to him.

Roger Wheeler, who lives in Dudley, found out he could not even give away his season tickets for the club, which is now looking a certainty to be relegated out of football's top flight for the first time in 30 years.

Mr Wheeler was so angered by Villa's demise that he posted off his and his uncle's season cards to new chairman Steve Hollis, together with an angry letter.

In his missive, Mr Wheeler told the club: "It is with great sadness that me and my uncle feel the need to take this step as supporting Aston Villa Football Club means so much to us.

"We refuse to support the demise of the great historical football club any longer, so enclosed are our season tickets for return and in all honesty to show our disgust at the laughing stock that our club has become."

He added: "Until there is some direction and ambition shown, we no longer wish to attend Villa Park... the waste of money in returning our tickets does not bother us, this is about principle."

However, much to his annoyance, he found he was unable to hand back his season tickets because the club promptly posted them back to him days later, together with a letter of their own.

In it, Villa's football operations and projects manager Lee Preece says: "We greatly appreciate the time you have taken to correspond and your support during these difficult times. We return your season cards (enclosed)."

Mr Wheeler told the Express & Star: "To see the club you love with a real passion become a sham is hard to take in truth."

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He added that he has had plenty of backing over their stance. and said: "We refuse now to support an owner who as basically turned our great club into a pure laughing stock. For me and my uncle that is unacceptable and will not return to Villa Park till we see real positive steps."

Aston Villa fans began to stage walk-outs in protest at club officials. Thousands of disenchanted fans left the stadium as part of the Out The Door On 74 campaign as they lost 3-1 to Everton.

Owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Tom Fox were the subject of hostile chants before the mass exodus. Fans say they will walk out again on Sunday against Spurs.