Doug to turn on festive lights

Former Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis will be turning on Chasetown's Christmas lights after they were saved from the axe by the town's FA Cup heroes.

Traders warned residents they would be pulling the plug on the town's festive lights display this year after being told they would have to stump up for the electricity costs to run them.

But Chasetown Football club has stepped in to help out and the dazzling display will be lit up before the team takes to the pitch in the second round FA Cup replay against Port Vale. The club has enlisted the services of multi-millionaire Doug Ellis to officially switch on the lights at 6pm on Tuesday.

He will then be the star guest of honour at the hotly-anticipated match which will kick off at 7.45pm.

Scholars chairman John Donnelly said: "The Christmas lights display has been going on for a number of years. But this time traders would have had to pay for the electricity for the lights and so it wasn't going to happen. The replay at Chasetown will be one of the biggest games in the club's history.

"I was upset to hear that the lights would not be put up this year and approached the Chamber of Trade to see if anything could be done."

"We got involved with the traders to give something back to the community on the back of the success of the club. There are lots of links with the club and Aston Villa so we have got Doug Ellis to switch on the lights.

"He was already coming along to watch the match."

The successful Chasetown will be taking to the pitch for a crunch tie against the Stoke-on-Trent side after a brave performance on Sunday producing a 1-1 draw and keeping their FA dreams alive.