The Hidden Tale of Doug Ellis’s Near Sale of Aston Villa to the Owner of the Atlanta Braves

“Terry Cecil, an Aston Villa fan, reminisces from his home in California, “Pele and I were in a limo. We were in Atlanta with the Ford Motor Company for a youth soccer project.”

“I had heard he might not be content with Puma. At that time, Pele, Puma, and his boots were iconic. I asked, ‘Would you be interested in trying another brand of boots?’” Mick Hoban was at Umbro, and I knew him through our Aston Villa and Atlanta Chiefs connections.

“I inquired, ‘Would you be interested in Pele?’” Mick thought it was a joke, but eventually, we secured the deal, solidifying Umbro’s position in Brazil. I was at IMG (the International Management Group) representing Pele, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, and Wayne Gretzky.”

To trace this narrative back, we must consider Doug Ellis, the late legendary figure of Aston Villa, the club itself, and Cecil’s father, Richard, affectionately nicknamed Dick. These three elements intersected to form an improbable connection, almost resulting in Villa being sold to the Atlanta Braves. This story also weaves in Pele, Woods, and, as you will soon discover, The Beatles and Martin Luther King, creating an extraordinary narrative.

If Dick’s acquisition of Villa had materialized, it would have represented the inaugural American ownership in British football and paved the way for the current influx of North American influence. Ultimately, it took 35 years for Villa to have its first American owner when Randy Lerner purchased the club in 2006. Currently, Villa is co-owned by American billionaire Wes Edens.

Although Dick was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, his journey truly began in Milwaukee. In the late fifties, Dick commenced coaching youth baseball before becoming a scout for the MLB’s Milwaukee Braves.

Gradually, with every promotion, Dick mingled with senior executives. He ascended to head of operations and eventually became vice-president, and later president, of ‘Braves Productions’, tasked with organizing events at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

“As VP, the franchise decided, ‘We’re moving from Milwaukee to Atlanta, and you’re going to lead as the Atlanta-based executive’,” Terry shares. “His role was to develop the stadium and oversee business operations. He quickly recognized the need for more than just baseball events at the stadium. Thus, he arranged his first concert in 1965… featuring The Beatles.”

In the following year, driven by a newfound interest in large-scale events, Dick watched the soccer World Cup in England. The advancements in television technology meant the tournament was broadcast worldwide.

“It was the perfect opportunity,” remarks 62-year-old Terry, now part of the pickleball international committee and CEO of the International Neurodiversity Alliance. “My father observed and asserted, ‘I want to be a part of this.’ In ’67, he joined a founding group that established the first major pro league in America, known as the NPSL (National Professional Soccer League).

“With America’s financial resources, we were seeking to sign players from England. He established a connection with Doug Ellis through business and traveled over intending to purchase Villa. He and Doug nearly finalized a deal, but the regulations surrounding club purchases proved challenging. Therefore, he opted to sign several Villa players, including Mick Hoban, Peter McFarland, Vic Crowe, and Phil Woosnam, who all joined his team, the Atlanta Chiefs.”

Terry Cecil, right, with Peter McFarland in more recent times (photo courtesy of Terry Cecil)

The Chiefs were created the year following the 1966 World Cup and were conceived by Dick, who was still vice president of the Atlanta Braves franchise. The team’s name derived from Atlanta’s Native American heritage, intending to create marketing synergy between ‘the Chiefs’ and ‘the Braves’.

Dick recognized the value of having a professional soccer team in Georgia, which added events to the Atlanta stadium. This ground would serve as the Chiefs’ home for four of their first five seasons.

Dick brought in Woosnam to manage the team. Woosnam had spent four years at Villa but departed in ’66 to kickstart the Chiefs. He and Dick frequently traveled internationally for scouting trips, seeking players from countries such as France, Zambia, and Ghana. Within two years, the Atlanta Chiefs clinched their first NASL (North American Soccer League) title.

The image below was captured on that day in 1968. Three former Villa figures appear in the photo; Woosnam on the far left, Woodward in the tie — he transitioned from Villa to become the Chiefs’ business manager but later returned in the seventies as commercial director — and former Villa player and manager, Crowe, triumphantly lifting the trophy.

English influence continued to shape the Chiefs’ early history. In 1968, in a bid to generate revenue and events at the stadium, they invited Manchester City for two friendly matches.

At the time, City was the reigning English champions, yet they suffered a 3-2 defeat in the first match. City’s assistant manager, Malcolm Allison, showed little grace in defeat, insisting the Chiefs “couldn’t compete in England’s fourth division.” City demanded an immediate rematch and lost again, this time 2-1, with Ray Bloomfield, a former Villa player, captaining the Chiefs that day.

Not long after, as a precursor to the limousine encounter, Atlanta hosted a Pele-led Santos team in an exhibition match, which Santos won 6-2 in front of over 25,000 spectators.

The initial surge of interest in soccer in America soon waned, however, as the NASL faced a dramatic decline. Twelve of the 17 teams collapsed in the late sixties, worsened by the loss of broadcast rights. The remaining five teams participated in double round-robin tournaments to increase matches, but the league was in trouble. The Chiefs could no longer justify the operating expenses of playing at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, prompting the team to be sold to the owners of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team.

During the 1973 season, after Dick had departed to become Coca-Cola’s first global sports marketing executive, the Chiefs were renamed the Atlanta Apollos by the new ownership.

Dick returned during Atlanta’s third iteration in 1979 as president and co-owner, playing a role in raising soccer’s profile in the U.S. to the extent that a decade later, he served as a senior consultant to the 1994 USA World Cup committee.

“My father remained engaged,” Terry smiles. “In ’86, he acquired the rights to the FIFA World All-Star game to support UNICEF. I collaborated on that project, featuring Diego Maradona and Franz Beckenbauer.”

A copy of the Daily Mail at the time of the proposed takeover (Terry Cecil)

“I discussed the potential purchase of Villa with my father,” Terry reveals. “The intention was for us to hold the majority of Villa. I’m unsure of the exact figure, whether it was 80 or 100 percent. There were numerous owners back then, and the laws were so intricate and new that they hindered the sale. Such an investment was unprecedented, so it was a novel concept for all involved. However, he and Doug were very close to finalizing the deal, with the owner of Villa poised to be the Atlanta Braves baseball team.”

“I’m relieved they didn’t buy Villa because can you imagine the reaction in England at that time? Looking at baseball in America, particularly during the fifties and sixties, it was immensely powerful. The NFL and NBA weren’t as influential then. Baseball was America’s backbone. Doug likely understood that by aligning with this venture, Villa would broaden its horizons and gain a robust support system financially. He exhibited remarkable foresight.”

Throughout the late sixties, several English clubs ventured to the States, representing NASL teams in profitable tournaments, with Villa as Atlanta’s representative.

A programme from when Villa represented Atlanta in a tournament (Terry Cecil)

“These individuals were contemplating strategies that even today, many might not be considering thoroughly,” reflects Terry. “It’s all about investments and television ratings now, whereas then, it was authentic. It revolved around appreciating the passion organically. My father and Doug recognized a path that benefited both parties while safeguarding the identities of both clubs.”

Terry shares memories from his youth, revealing how his upbringing was intertwined with his father’s Villa connection. Players formed friendships with Dick and would come to the U.S. for gatherings at their home. Tommy Docherty, Villa’s manager from 1968 to 1970, became a close friend, undoubtedly easing the transitions for players between the two clubs, fostering a reciprocal relationship.

For instance, Crowe joined the Chiefs and was tasked with marking Pele during the friendly against Santos, later returning to take the managerial role at Villa after Docherty’s departure in January 1970. Conversely, two Zambian players Dick and Woosnam scouted, Freddie Mwila and Emment Kapengwe, joined Villa.

Crowe against Pele when the Chiefs hosted Santos in 1968 (Terry Cecil)

“Doug and my father nurtured a strong relationship,” states Terry. “Their goal was to create a collaborative project instead of merely raiding each other’s teams. At age 17, I had the chance to train with Villa, probably the first American ever to do so. Ron Saunders was the manager at the time, and upon my arrival, he seemed uninterested, questioning, ‘What is an American doing here?’ I stayed in a hostel and made friends with young players like Colin Gibson and Gary Williams.”

Terry, right, and Villa’s Gary Williams in 1977 — five years before Williams played a key role in Villa’s European Cup triumph (Terry Cecil)

Dick and his wife, Pam, were staunch civil rights activists in Atlanta. They were deeply embedded in their community and actively participated in protests, with Pam involved in the Selma Marches — the protests from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama in 1965, advocating for Black Americans’ voting rights.

During a time of significant racial unrest, Dick collaborated with civil rights leaders to promote equality in sports. One of his notable achievements was ending racial segregation during the Atlanta Braves’ pre-season training.

“Both my parents were acquaintances of Dr. Martin Luther King and his wife, Coretta,” adds Terry. “Atlanta was at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement. My father made remarkable efforts to recruit African players and went to Zambia to conduct soccer trials. He signed Freddie Mwila and Emment Kapengwe, who both transitioned from the Atlanta Chiefs to Villa. The fact that Villa signed them and had Black players was quite historic.”

Dick with a ball signed by Mwila (Terry Cecil)

After a two-month trial in Atlanta under Woosnam’s supervision, Mwila signed a permanent deal. He became entrenched in Chiefs history after netting the winning goal in a 3-2 triumph over City.

Mwila was 21, and his performances in those high-profile matches, alongside Kapengwe, convinced Docherty to bring them to Birmingham in August 1969. They became Villa’s third and fourth Black players, following Willie Clarke and Stan Horne.

Various factors, particularly Villa’s decline in performance, led to the pair making a combined four appearances. Once Docherty left following Villa’s relegation to the third division nine months later, Mwila and Kapengwe returned to Zambia.

Nevertheless, by the early seventies, Villa and Atlanta had established a partnership resembling a multi-club model, and while Kapengwe remained in Zambia to share the soccer knowledge he had gained, Mwila returned to the Chiefs.

The Chiefs transformed into the Apollos, with the brand laid dormant until 1979, when the Colorado Caribous franchise relocated to Atlanta under the ownership of Dick and Ted Turner. Until the franchise folded again in 1981, they played two seasons back at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

Dick with Pele when Santos came to play the Chiefs in 1968 (Terry Cecil)

Dick passed away in August 2023 after fulfilling numerous roles throughout his career. In addition to being a senior consultant for the 1994 World Cup and a producer for the UNICEF World All-Star Games, he served as chairman of the National Professional Soccer League Players Committee and acted as a consultant for the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta. Next year, Dick was honored with induction into the Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame.

Starting in baseball, Dick played a critical role in founding the first American soccer league and contributed to the success of Atlanta United in MLS. According to a 1968 report by the Chiefs, fewer than 150 individuals participated in organized soccer before the league’s creation. Within two years, that number surged to 16,000.

“The ’66 World Cup and Villa were pivotal in igniting my father’s passion for soccer,” concludes Terry. “That’s why I am a huge Villa supporter today. There’s a rich history connecting Villa to Atlanta.”