Career
Stride joined the office staff at Aston Villa in 1972 and seven years later was appointed football secretary, a post he held for 16 years. He was elected to the board of directors in 1995, and two years later published a book, Stride inside the Villa, chronicling his 25 years with the club In 2005, he took responsibility for running the club while longtime chairman Doug Ellis recovered from heart bypass surgery.
Stride was the only director to remain at the club following American businessman Randy Lerner"s 2006 takeover, but tendered his resignation effective from May 2007.
