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Former Aston Villa chairman Sir Doug Ellis has died, a close relative has told BirminghamLive.

Sir Doug, who was 94, is said to have passed away in the night.

A relative told BirminghamLive the sad news today.

From trainee Royal Navy pilot and wannabe Tranmere Rovers footballer, shorthand typist, travel industry pioneer, construction king, cider brewer, and a public and private charity benefactor who has given away fortunes – there will be never be another multi-millionaire Villa chairman quite like Herbert Douglas Ellis.

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He even tried newspaper publishing and, when I asked him for his own headline in 2013, he simply said: “Sir Doug Ellis OBE.”

At the pinnacle of his career, Sir Doug owned 19 companies, 12 in the UK and seven abroad.

When pushed, he said claret was a more favourite colour than blue.

And so, after a forgotten 3½-year spell learning the ropes on the board at Blues from 1964, he will always be best known for being Villa’s chairman from 1968-1975 and from 1982-2006.

It was Sir Doug’s biggest regret that, as well being off the board at the time, that he didn’t manage to attend Villa’s 1982 European Cup triumph in Rotterdam.

“We were coming back from Barbados, but there was a porters’ strike at Heathrow so we couldn’t get our connecting flight to Rotterdam,” he said.

“We were diverted to Shannon Airport in Ireland and I had to watch it on television.

“But lots of people have told me we won the European Cup with young players who had come through under me.”

Sir Doug rejoined the Villa board in 1982 following the European Cup win.

And, although he couldn’t match that success, they won the League Cup in 1993-94 and 95-96, were runners-up in the first season of the Premier League in 1992-93 and lost the last FA Cup Final to played at the old Wembley stadium in 2000 when Chelsea won 1-0.

He also rebuilt most of the stadium, including the Doug Ellis Stand on Witton Lane which now bears his name.

When ill-health finally saw Sir Doug stand down as chairman in 2006 to become Emeritus President, he left the club in mid-table and with first-class training facilities he had built himself at Bodymoor Heath.

Villa were in a strong position to challenge for a Champions League berth, too – finishing 6th three years in a row from 2007-10 as Randy Lerner’s tenure began with such promise.

Knighted in 2012 for charitable services, and a father of three, Sir Doug is survived by his German-born second wife Heidi, whose ability to speak four languages came in handy when it came to dealing with foreign transfers.

He had three sons – one from his first marriage.

Sir Doug Ellis factfile 1924: January 3 - Born, Chester. 1968: Ellis, a millionaire from his business in package holidays, takes over as chairman at Aston Villa for the first time. 1970: Sacks manager Tommy Docherty with club struggling at bottom of old Second Division. 1975: Steps down as chairman. 1979: Leaves Villa board. 1982: Returns to Villa - then European champions - as major shareholder and chairman after a brief spell as a director at Wolves. 1987: Villa relegated from old First Division. 1990: Villa finish second in First Division under Graham Taylor; Appoints England's first foreign manager in Jozef Venglos after Taylor takes up England post. 1994: Sacks Ron Atkinson as manager just months after winning League Cup. 1996: Sells shares following Stock Exchange flotation, reducing his stake to from 47% to 39%. 1998: Manager Brian Little resigns. 2002: Undergoes treatment for prostate cancer; Manager John Gregory resigns. 2003: Rejects takeover bid from former Manchester City defender Ray Ranson. 2004: Relinquishes role as chief executive, appointing Bruce Langham. 2005: Awarded OBE for services to football; Undergoes heart bypass surgery; Langham resigns after apparent bust-up with Ellis. 2006: Criticised in a statement to the media purported to have been made by players; Indicates willingness to sell stake in club and instigates takeover talks. August 14 - Accepts takeover bid from American billionaire Randy Lerner. September 19 - Sells the club to Lerner and is given the title President Emeritus (Life President). 2013 - Birmingham City University name a sports centre after him. 2015 - Donates more than £1 million to the University of Birmingham School and the Institute of Translational Medicine. 2018: Sir Doug Ellis dies at the age of 94.

Eldest son Peter’s mother, Audrey, met Sir Doug when he was in charge of transport for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Arm in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

“I had my own staff car which was very attractive for any girl,” said Sir Doug.

“I used to take her out for chicken and chips at midnight on the beach.”

Although that relationship ended in divorce, Sir Doug went on to celebrate his golden wedding anniversary with German-born second wife, Heidi, with who he had two more sons, Oliver and Simon.

“I’ve no idea how I proposed, but she was a courier in Benidorm for the opposition, Skytours,” said Sir Doug.

“She was beautiful and I used to watch her working.

“I finally persuaded her to jump ship and work for my company, Sunflight.”