With the 2013/14 season – and potentially the Randy Lerner era – over, Aston Villa are a club that look a mere shell of their heyday under the ownership of their American chairman.

What fans have witnessed in the past three seasons is a club that has been pulled back into reality after lavishly living it up pursuing success on unsustainable terms. The requirement for cutbacks, whilst necessary, have taken a team on a rollercoaster ride from an era where sixth was seen as not good enough, through to a period where survival was the top priority.

In a sense, there’s a reflection of society in the dealings at Villa Park, a tale to be told of overspending, of the importance of planning, and a hint at the cold realities of life. Without a true strategy, despite talk of one in the early years of Lerner’s tenure, Villa’s present circumstances are far from unexpected. No, strategy can’t guarantee success, but sustainability means a degree of iterative change, not trying to leap up quickly only to fall just as fast.

In fact, if there’s one real surprise for Villa, it is that they have somehow managed to cling on to their Premier League status. In a world where relegation is an all too real prospect, survival has been key. Had Villa gone down in seasons prior, there’s no telling where the club would be now, but one would suggest it is far further down than the bottom half of the Premier League.

Make no mistake though, the years since the departure of Martin O’Neill will feel far from a second chance for the club. Instead, circumstances have done more and more to create a rift between what is achievable and what is expected – I can think of no recent time where the disparity has been greater.

At the start of the season, my own prediction for Villa’s final placing was 12th. In a sense, making such predictions is an almost pointless endeavour with single points separating places nowadays. Winning a few games can take a club from the drop zone to almost mid-table, a feat we saw achieved under Gerard Houllier as unexpected wins too Villa from relegation candidates to ninth.

Despite my statement about the closeness of positions, however, history tends to remember seasons goneby in those terms. Houllier, despite a largely horrific season with much of it spent in similar placings as Paul Lambert and Alex McLeish, will be seen as a man who got a top half finish, though he was fortunate to be handed the chance to spend a club record fee as a get out of jail card.

In more recent seasons, Villa’s financial overspending – and lack of strategy – have made for far more stark reading. Was there a chance that Lambert could have been handed £30m in January to fix obvious gaps in the team? Not at all, and thus the challenge has been made far harder as time has gone by.

Which, if we’re honest, is the main reason why change has to occur if fans are to remain engaged. In less than a decade, the club has chased highs and fallen into newer, deeper lows. Where Villa are now is the equivalent of a marathon runner who is loaded full of lactic acid after trying to sprint for far too long. If nothing changes, the club will collapse just like the runner. The problem for Villa though, is that unlike a marathon, there is no finish line meaning the club will either narrowly avoid collapse and survive, or fall down a league next season.

Perhaps that change will come from new investment – wherever and whoever supplies it – but even those changes are likely to be incremental. Yes, improvement is required, but now is not the time for Villa to engage in bombastic shows of supposed power – all such plans would leave the club at yet another potential risk for history repeating itself in a boom and bust cycle.

What change might mean is a distinctly different direction when it comes to how the first few years of a new plan gets enacted. What Villa need now is not necessarily some flair focused foreign manager, nor is it even a requirement for the next man to be young and long term. No, what Villa need is a plan that allows for progress regardless of manager, with a slow and iterative structure that will build foundations, not debts.

So who is this person? Sensibility would say it is someone like Tony Pulis – a man who has taken Crystal Palace from oblivion to mid-table in one season.

Now before the anger starts, making such a suggestion does not mean that the rest of the club’s future has to revolve around similar managers. What it does mean is that the club needs to learn that there are different people for different roles, and different men required for different stages of the club’s progression forwards.

What we don’t need is someone who needs £60m just to get their first transfer window completed. Villa are not, despite statements to the contrary, a sleeping giant that can be awoken in a short space of time. Instead, Villa are much more akin to a person recovering from serious illness, an entity that has to understand the time and importance of both patience and progress.

So, in my view, whatever happens this close season, I’d be amazed if we saw some kind of Manchester City cash-driven revival. Progress has to be sustainable – we’ve seen the cost of when it isn’t – and that means time, planning and finding the right pegs for the right holes.

It may not be overnight, but there’s potential for progress now the budgets are far more stable. Who will take that club forwards at managerial and director level? The truth is we’ll have to wait and see.

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Matt Turvey
Matt is the owner of, and chief writer for, Aston Villa Life. He is also a columnist for the Wolverhampton Express & Star, appearing in the Kick Off pullout on Saturdays and the Final Whistle pullout the Monday after Aston Villa play, as well as every Thursday as a blogger on their website. He has previously been featured as a writer on Football365 and Life's A Pitch, and was a regular pundit for Sports Tonight TV on Sky.

Comments 115

  1. southwestvillan

    Matt,

    A very good assessment of our current predicament, yes it will be a slow building process but as long as we see progress and some football along the way I think the Villa fans will get behind a new owner and manager if that’s what we are about to see.
    To be looking up at clubs like Palace tells you everything you need to know about what has gone wrong at VP, we have in the last three years become the new Wigan, perennial strugglers at the dirty end of the premier table.

    We are soon about to find out if all our dreams are about to come true, if a new owner is on his way and bringing with him fresh ideas on how a major football club should be run, we can also hope that this will end the reign of Paul Lambert who we all now realise is out of his depth at this standard of football, he will go with holding new records most home defeats, most defeats in a season and some will say it is a miracle we are still in this league, I say more fortunate that there have always been three worse teams than us which is closer to the truth than any other reasons bandied about.

    The new look on the site is excellent and easier to use so keep up the good work Matt.

    UTV

  2. Trinity

    Hello Matt

    A pretty fair summing up of the season. I’m sorry, especially for you local guys. At least it’s plain to see now that the club isn’t well and needs a lot of fixing.

    I hope they don’t sell Delph to Newcastle, unless he wants out, because he’s come along well this year.

    I agree with a sutainable plan being implemented, but there’ll need to be immediate wholesale changes made once we know who the new owner is. The squad needs needs players of a higher calibre than at present. It can’t be done cheaply.

    The younger players won’t have the opportunity to develop unless there’s quality timber around to hold the line.

    like you say in the article, It will depend on the new owner on who gets to manage Villa.

  3. Trinity

    Wouldn’t it be a dream if Larry Ellison were to buy Villa? He only accepts the best, and he particulaly enjoys winning against the odds.

  4. Frankfurt Villan

    Hi Matt,

    You are absolutely correct, the re-building process is going to take several seasons.

    I was at the game yesterday and Villa were truly appalling. The one redeeming feature was the spirit of the away fans – as we write here so often. But the repertoire of songs and chants, such as “We lose every week, we lose every week. You’re nothing special, we lose every week”. And, to Lambert, “You’re being sacked in the morning” reflect the utterly dire football being played by this team. The whole allocation, some 3,000 tickets, had been sold out. The fans of this great club deserve so much more than the bilge currently served up on a weekly basis.

  9. Jenny Truman

    12-05-2014. RL statement from OS

    Several weeks back I said that following the end of the season I would clarify my future role with the Club, and address what had become seemingly constant rumours of a sale. I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit. The last several seasons have been week in, week out battles and having now come through this last season unfortunately limping amidst very meaningful injuries and constant sale rumours, I feel further that now is the time for me to look for new ownership and thus new leadership. I have asked the world of Paul Lambert and Paul Faulkner and they have both delivered selflessly. On a personal level it is time for me, like the Shunammite, to dwell among my own and get on with other aspects of my career, following a sale.

    Above all, the debt I owe Aston Villa whether as owner, Chairman, custodian or simply as a fan is to put the Club first. To make good on that debt, I owe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job.

    During my time with Villa, I have tried to strengthen and improve the Club’s physical infrastructure both at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath while also trying to carry on the McGregor tradition of being mindful of the local community we serve. Above all in this effort is the connection the Club has made with Acorns; the caring, kindness and warmth that players, staff, managers and supporters have shown to Mr Strudley and Acorns has wiped away all disappointments and sobered my finest memories. Still, I can see now that it is time, if possible, to hand these privileges and responsibilities to the next person or group to take the Club forward. I am appreciative of the support I have received, even in these last years of comparative struggle when criticism was due, and will look on with others – with fingers crossed, for stronger future performance appropriate to our size and heritage.

    On a practical level, the Club will continue with its normal operations and plans for the summer. I’ve no doubt that the core staff at both Villa Park and BMH, to whom I owe a massive debt of friendship and loyalty, will continue to guide and protect the Club through this period of transition according to their collective sense of professional pride and long term service to Villa – the vast majority having preceded my tenure.

    Finally, in light of the above, I have engaged Bank of America Merrill Lynch to advise on the sale of Aston Villa.

  11. Mark King

    sound assessment of our predicament Matt,

    We all know Villa need to up the quality of player we have to get some kind of consistency back. we may find that a new manager might do a pulis and get the best from the squad or we may just find out how dismal a squad we have and how much Lambert managed to get out of them. the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

    direction is what we lack most and a rudderless ship can end up anywhere, a continual target of survival will get us relegated as its a fine line these days. 4-5 quality players and director of football is needed at a minimum if the incumbents stay. because they have proved themselves very poor at making such choices a Larry Ellison would be welcomed with open arms, not for his money but because he knows how to build and has a will to win

  12. southwestvillan

    Good news we are up for sale, the really bad news is that we could remain in limbo for a good while, the really bad bad news is that Lambert stays in charge and will be responsible for any players in or out, not sure wether to laugh or cry when will this nightmare end.

    UTV

  13. Jenny Truman

    I agree SWV and as usual there could be all sorts of things going on we will never know. If a buyer had been found and contracts exchanged or close to – there would normally be a confidentiality agreement which would prevent either party going public – this is standard – and also stock exchange rules would apply.

    It’s strange he’s put this statement out – he doesn’t need to – and the evidence points to him having been trying to off load club for last two years – balancing books, stripping down , non attendance . It could be that he’s had a buyer and they can’t agree price so RL is flushing him out by saying – it’s going on the market – you were warned . I feel disappointed – nothing has changed – and we can only expect the same low target ie stay in prem until the new owner comes along . Note he thanks PL and PF for keeping us ticking over . We are in no mans land . Let’s hope this statement is to get a response from already interested party , as short term it implies the club will retain status quo until further notice .

  14. Paul Pears

    I would feel that this statement is only the first in the chain, and that Merrill Lynch are already finalising a deal, as I am sure Lerner would not be just putting the club on the open market.

    I feel sure an announcement will be made in the next 48 hours that Villa has new owners.

  17. Jenny Truman

    Struggling to see the positives . We are a club in a huge decline and we’ve been told nothing changes until new buyer is found . The manager and his motley crew look safe to continue .

  18. Josh Cattier

    Fair play to Randy for being so frank and honest. Why couldn’t he have been like that for the past 8 years? It’s disappointing that a buyer isn’t lined up, but that was hugely unlikely anyway given the time frame. We can only hope that business is swift and proper, but without the risks of selling to these ‘unproper people’ that seem to pop up ala Yeung, the Thai PM, etc.

    It is the 12th of May. No players can be officially acquired until early June, and not properly registered until 1st July. That is quite a lot of time, especially considering Lerner is talking to banks on valuation. Once he’s set his price, we can move forward quickly – if there is interest. Lerner has one job left to do – sell to the right people. Get it done, Randy.

  19. Trinity

    Well.

    The players know they’ll still get paid and need to realise they’re lucky to play for Villa.

    PL might as well disappear to a Greek island for awhile, not much he can do unless a sale is imminent.

    At least RL has said something.

  20. Mark King

    paul

    I hope your right as anything else could have the likes of albrighton, vlarr etc heading for the gangplank to leave the sinking ship. we need 30-40mil of players and with no benteke sale will he stump up?

    If that statement is straight from Lerner I have some sympathy as he just wasn’t up to the job but tried. did some good but has almost killed the golden goose

  21. Jenny Truman

    Could be Paul – but the timing doesn’t add up. He should be making this announcements when contracts are exchanged and in company sales , completion takes place the same day 99 times out of 100. Isn’t he going to look disingenuous if he announces 24 hours later that it’s been sold . It would take months for the legal work to be done – I’ve been involved in these type of transactions and the paper work is immense . How could they have kept it quiet – surveys , due diligence reports , enquiries etc . I hope you are right Paul but my brummy pessimism is giving be a sinking heart .

  23. Jenny Truman

    The problem is Mark , why would RL throw more money into it . The remit will be keep us up as cheaply as possible . Is this why MA didn’t play? I agree , he started out with good intentions and it’s probably the worst decision he’s made to buy an English football club.

  24. SuperBox

    At least it was an open and honest message from Randy and we know where we are (though we had kind of worked it out already).

    It will be interesting to see if new owners are lined up, or as I suspect, there is nothing in the pipeline just yet.

    Or maybe there is a bidder who is delaying, and this will move them on?!

    Interesting times.

  25. Jenny Truman

    Also Mark – he wasn’t up to the job and more importantly , he didn’t select the right staff – one of the requisites of good leadership . He’s been let down too.

  26. SuperBox

    Jenny – If RL is the only shareholder, a share purchase will be a lot quicker and simpler than an asset purchase? Due diligence etc will still need to go ahead though.

  27. Mark King

    jenny

    I agree, he’s always seemed an amiable chap who didn’t inherit his dads business nous and drive. with so much given to him I suspect he bypassed the school of hard knocks straight to easy street. that may be totally of target but at least he has tried to do something charitable with his money I wish him all the best whatever he chooses to do.

    surely with the tv money available he has to protect his investment if a buyer isn’t found immediatly? my only fear is players jumping ship

  28. Steve W

    Lerner promised a statement at the end of the season, so I suppose he’s been true to his word here. However the statement from Lerner is the worst of all worlds.

    It reminds me of the ‘confession’ the equally media shy Mike Ashley gave when Newcastle were relegated in which he admitted he had failed and wanted to sell the club. Of course, this did not happen as Ashley never came close to achieving his bottom line sales price. He then made the only sensible decision of his tenure in keeping 90% of the previously underachieving squad together.

    We don’t have that option. If we merely stand still and keep this bunch together it is tantamount to forfeiting the fixtures. If Lerner refused to invest when he owned the club I can’t see him getting any players in when he is looking to sell. The only movement would be through the exit door. There is also no guarantee he will come close to his exit price in which case he’d stay on, with the restrictions in place.

    I really hope this isn’t Day One of the sales process. It may be that there has already been a lot of work done on the sale behind the scenes, buyers are waiting in the wings and the time process will be accelerated. But if we take the statement purely at face value, it is as bad for Aston Villa as it could possibly be.

  29. Liam Scahill

    Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I have dreamed about this day for a long long long time !

    Don’t let the door hit you Randy , you have basically lied to the entire fanbase for years , it’s obvious his get-out strategy began years ago. There was no young and hungry plan just cheap and sh*t.
    Hope bigtime charlie Andi Weimann has a hangover from hell this morning, get your lugs up to the geordies they are about your level you big-headed tit.

    UTV

  30. Jenny Truman

    It will be a share purchase SB and they will still need all the surveys , due diligence , enquiries etc so in that respect length of time the same . It’s not as long winded as buying a co with loads of premises to value etc . Thinking about it , there aren’t that many assets to value and survey and it’s not a huge work force , so should be relatively straight forward . AV have hopefully prepared disclosure documents , surveys , replies to enquiries etc so unless all this has been accepted by buyer , the minimum I’d say is weeks and that if the purchaser is happy . Big question is whether there is still a buyer .

  31. Lionheart

    That statement is a ‘disaster’ IMO..

    Unless there is a buyer lined up very soon.. we are screwed.. selling a club is not a strait forward thing.. the due diligence in itself takes a while..

    Also this statement means PL is going NOWHERE.. which is the biggest shocker for me.. also what sort of Budget do we have.. what players are we going to be in for..

    I do not trust Lerner to do the right thing.. we are in deep trouble IMO…

  32. Frem

    I was hoping they would announce the new owner but by the sounds of things we aren’t.t close

    Worrying when he says we will continue with summer plans

    Like signing cheap shite players ?

  34. Mark King

    when you look at Lamberts recent comments it does make sense, he has never looked worried for his job and has been making noises about investment in better players, not much of a boost for his team psychologically so stupid if investment not imminent?

  36. Trinity

    You guys are right.

    Investment is the key issue from our point of view because if we don’t get a major upgrade soon, we’re up the creek without a paddle.

    It is best that PL stays as an interim manager until everyone knows what’s happening.

  37. Villalore

    My biggest fear is we end up like Fulham – new (clueless) owner, flop managers, too many changes at the player level and eventual relegation. Matt’s recommendation for steady progress over a complete overhaul makes sense, even though it may mean more inconsistent performances.

    What a depressing start to the summer.

  40. runtings

    Gutted Randy hasnt found someone to buy already if that is the case— that statement is what we should expect as villa fans as it seems as if nothing goes right for us these days

    As for Randy i can tell by his statement that is he proberly a bit hurt and offended by some of the critics he has recieved but i for one won’t blame him for giving it a go at villa — ok he got a heck of a lot of things wrong and soon realised he was out of his depth running the club — his heart has been in the right place but unfortunatly he had bitten off more than he can chew by taking the club off doug

  41. Mark King

    I cannot believe we have a buyer in place at the moment as Randy would of been shouting it from the roof tops, what reason could you find to hide it? possibly due diligence could be holding things up and they are keeping quiet in case it falls through but that would be it. the most unlikely is we are in a bidding war.

    krulaks statement

    http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3825652,00.html

  42. Mark King

    it could just be Randy was hoping the team would improve enough for him to invest this summer in some quality, (providing we can shift the bomb squad again) considering the season we have had and the dogs abuse he’s got he’s just had enough. god knows we have. no plot in the background to sell just this is where it ends?

  43. Jenny Truman

    I agree mark . There’s no reason for RL to make a statement – it offers nothing but uncertainty for supporters , manager , players , prospective players. I can only assume he’s doing it as a bargaining tactic ie pay the price or it’s going on market IF a buyer has been found . He’s instructed Merrill Lynch (doesn’t say when he did though ) because it’s a public company quoted on stock exchange .

    According to BBC it could take time as per Pat Murphy

    “This is the start of a process that will take some time,” added Murphy.
    “I understand no deal has been struck and that Paul Lambert is expected to fly out to the United States this week.”

    So we are as SWV said in no mans land by the look of it .

  46. Frem

    Why can’t anything go simple with Villa ?

    I was hoping to wake up, new owner, lambert sacked.

    Instead, we have no idea how long Randy will be with us, we still have the worst manager in our history in charge with an owner who does not want to be at Villa

    Apparently lambert is flying over to the states this week.

    How the hell will that conversion go?

  47. Frem

    Jenny- what is due dilligence ? Just saw a tweet with you and Steve stride when he said he hopes the new owner is rich enough for it to take 5 days and not 5 weeks. Would you care to explain ? 🙂

  48. B6toBrasil

    Morning Lifers

    I did say hold yer horses,this is both good and bad news.Good,in the sense that we know where we stand with Randy now…..bad because the sale will be a lenghty process,and if Randy stays Lambert stays,.Lambert is on thin ice,has no credibility and should be gone.We are in limbo now,Randy will continue to spend the bare minimum,and we are nailed on cast iron certs to go down next season in my humble.We are better off shutting the club down,disbanding,rather than shuffle along as we have been doing.
    Everton have been for sale for years and have had no offers-I think.August will come around with the same toxic atmosphere surrounding the club and the same manager in place,we seem to go from bad to worse.

  49. Jenny Truman

    “the hiring of a bank indicated that Lerner would be casting the net wide for a potential purchaser.” From Mark’s article . Maybe so but you’d hire an investment bank for sale of public company anyway but it could imply we haven’t got a buyer .
    I agree Runtingz – RL heart in the right place with his work for charity and he did have good intentions . Shame his staff let him down . As you say Mark , maybe not enough hard knocks but AV has cost him if he sells for £200m as he’s reputedly out in £300 mill that could be irrecoverable .

  51. B6toBrasil

    The writing is on the wall now,and the vultures will be circling for Delph,Benteke,Vlaar and the youngsters.
    Never mind our front 2 for the first game will be Bowery and Holt,doesn`t that fill you with hope and pride?
    Why on earth would anyone want to stay now unless no other club wanted you?

    The staement is damaging IMO,he could have tried to sell us on the quiet,hard to do I realise that,but now we are in total limbo.
    Randy no longer wants us,the fans don`t want him the manager or the CEO.Very dark days ahead again.

  52. Jenny Truman

    Hi Frem . Due diligence just means the buyer making all the necessary examinations of accounts , surveys of property etc, asking enquiries of property , staff ,any employment or other claims , debts , basically gathering all the information to assess whether the co is worth buying , the price is right and what future claims or responsibilities it is taking on. So it is everything you need to know . The seller will produce “disclosure ” documents which will give a lot of info but often will say -subject to anything revealed in survey , and your diligent enquiries . So basically the buyer has to take steps to ensure what he is buying is worth it – that’s due diligence and it is what takes the time . The seller can speed it up by doing the surveys and reports in preparation like selling a house .

  53. Frem

    People saying end of June, people saying after the WC something will happen

    That wouldn’t leave much time for anyone to do anything in terms of assessing the squad and players we need

    What a cock up we are

  54. Frem

    Thanks Jenny

    SSN saying Randy wants to find a buyer in 6 weeks

    Find ? Shouldn’t he be waiting for people to approach him instead of going out looking to flog us of to anyone he can find

  55. DarrenO

    My expectation is that for the sake of attracting as many potential buyers and hiring a global bank as advisers (you’ll never guess which bank I work for, whether I get info filtered down to me I’m not sure), Randy’s aim is to attract a number of bids and determine which is appropriate for him first and for the club second.

    Regardless of an alleged custodianship of AVFC, he has invested heavily and will want a return on his investment. I expect Larry Ellison is leading the way and has been high profile in his attendance of some games but you can be sure other interested parties would be sending proxies to determine if this is a good opportunity.

    In terms of opportunity, we are the only prem league club for sale, and the generation of interest the league retains globally is second to none. Sales take a long time to come to fruition, my hope is that the announcement is just a confirmation of intent as opposed to today we are for sale when we’ve been for sale for months and the machinations are near to completion.

    The one telling comment from Matt’s piece I’d like to highlight is and one I totally agree with is that we don’t need a big bang approach to investment, continuous and considered investment has to be the sustainable approach. The Doug Ellis days of a ‘star’ buy to appease the fans or a panic buy under Houllier (Bent) needs to cease.

    We have a decent spine of Guzan, Vlaar/Okore, Delph and Benteke, if we can build around this spine we would have the makings of a decent top ten side and move away from relegation struggles as an initial step.

    While we are in the middle of this poor form and the main protaganists are still within the club (Lambert, Faulkner, Lerner) most feeling is still very raw about where AVFC stands. But I would like to thank Lambert for keeping us in the Prem while working under a severely restricted budget and with severely talentless players, I’d like to thank Lerner for his investment at the point we needed Ellis out, we were close to top 4 and Man City changed things that Lerner couldn’t compete with but he also built up a very good infrastructure for future development. Absolutely no saving graces for Faulkner, a complete lackey out of his depth, sorry he gets away without being blamed too much.

    Future hopes, a board member with access to the owner(s) with football knowledge and preferably Aston Villa history, an owner who wants to win and is prepared to invest. A football manager who is tactically aware and challenges youth development to succeed as opposed to using it for a couple of end of season games just to show progression is possible. Decent football, something to inspire/challenge as opposed to singing ‘we’re sh1t and we know we are’, I’d much prefer to be singing ‘we’ve won again, we’ve won again, we’re Aston Villa, we’ve won again’.

  56. Frem

    Great Post Darren

    I’d be happy with Liverpools way, or Man City’s. What’s vital though, as you say, is to get a manager who knows what he is doing and will involve our youth a lot like Sterling and Flanagan, mixed with top quality players

    Unfortunately, if there is no buyer, we could be stuck with Randy and Lambert for another season.

  57. Jenny Truman

    That may just be putting a guesstimate on how long it would take to complete from scratch if no prep work done Frem. I wouldn’t worry as we are all just guessing – journalists included .

  58. southwestvillan

    •2006-07 11th 50 points
    •2007-08 6th 60 points
    •2008-09 6th 62 points
    •2009-10 6th 64 points
    •2010-11 9th 48 points
    •2011-12 16th 38 points
    •2012-13 15th 41 points
    •2013-14 15th 38 points
    Our record in Randys tenure some good some very bad you would have to say that two of those seasons we should have gone down so riding our luck is somewhat of an understatement, same placing as last year with three less points is what Faulkner and Lambert call progression, I am sure the new owners will see straight through the pair of them.

    UTV

  59. Frem

    The new owners should try to get Nicola Courtese on board. Then get a new kit maker, traditional kits, badge, north stand etc

  62. John Lerwill

    Matt and Darren,

    Very intelligent posts from you both, but I’m afraid I find those comments still shielding the fact that we have failed to keep pace with Everton and Spurs – effectively what should be our contemporaries.

    In business you have to be brave, so rather than take the financial easy route to cut costs, perhaps there should have been the appointment of an internal football person (a DoF?) to help guide the appointment of managers and players that would keep us up with Everton and Spurs?

    That for me is the measuring stick of Lerner’s tenure.

  63. runtings

    All this well done for keeping is up chat for lambert doesnt sit well with me

    He has had more too spend that at least half the teams in the prem – overall he has brought poorly were as other managers finishing above him have spent less than his £40mil and have a better return — on top of that the so called football he has us playing is possibly the worst in the prem

    He doesnt deserve credit for how he has run the club – managed his staff – or the so called football he plays

  64. Paul Pears

    Excellent post Darren, and I am sure that Merrill Lynch are close to completing the sale, but it was dependant on several criteria which have now been met. I.e. that the club should be financially viable, that it should have Premier league status, and Paul Lambert is flying out to the states to finalise his severance deal from the club’s new owner, and he will actually shortly return to Norwich, according to comments made by the pundits on MOTD last night.

    There seems to be some knowledge of what is going on at higher levels of the football world, as in the Man Utd case, and any announcement, as to the sale of the club, may need to wait until the New York stock Exchange closes, and more announcements may follow then.

    I would very much doubt that Lerner has just put the club up for general sale. He has been speaking for a long time to business people in the States. This deal started at least before Xmas, when Lerner basically told Lambert, he was not to buy any more players, and we ended up with Grant Holt on loan.

  65. southwestvillan

    Runtz,

    Totally agree mate if a decent manager comes in how many of those from last season will keep a shirt, not many I can guarantee, some shocking buys courtesy of Mr.Lambert with just a few exceptions.

    UTV

  66. John Lerwill

    Runtings,

    In general I agree, but ( to be fair) there has been extraordinary bad luck in respect of injuries to key players.

    However, we can certainly find fault in his managership – particularly in what has been termed the Culvergate affair – and in not buying fewer players of better quality. And there are a few other niggles.

    But as an interim manager (who might end up surprising us all) he may well fulfil the task.

  67. Jenny Truman

    Me neither Runtingz – The some of the so called battles have been of PL’s making , not to mention his now suspended bulky boys . Other managers have done better with less money. It’s all turning into a pass the buck exercise with no one accepting responsibility . Until they scrutinise honestly what has been going on we will continue to decline . Let’s hope the buyer is found quickly because it feels like we have just jumped out the sinking ship with no life boat in sight yet .

    John L – agree wholeheartedly with your post .

  68. Frem

    PP- no chance is he going back to Norwich. The board hate him, and he hates them. Celtic is his most likely destination

  69. B62 Villa

    Well that was a real anti climax , I now fear for the very future of our club , this had to be resolved ASAP, the worrying thing is there are NO interested parties, it will drag out and we will be lucky to survive the drop next season, as we will have a shit team, a shit manager and a CEO and owner who will only be looking to take rather than give, in short my pedigree chums, we are fucked.

  70. runtings

    I liked what Randy said about having responsility to make sure the club is passed into good hands – ok we all know now Randy failed in what he expected of himself running the club but as owner and a fan the best thing he can now do for the club is find someone he believes can take the club to the levels he believes the club belongs

    Randy has made many mistakes with villa as well as some good stuff for the club but reading between the lines i think he wants what best for villa and hopefully his final act will be putting us in really good hands

  71. Clive Evans

    That’s stirred up a few comments.
    I tend to agree with the comments from Trinity and Josh – this news doesn’t necessarily herald salvation; until a new owner is found and the managerial situation is sorted we are like headless chickens.
    There is no guarantee that we will not get Lerner 2 or Ashley 2, let alone Tan 2 if Lerner is only interested in recouping some of his investment. If his statement is to be believed, he will sell to the right buyer.
    It is not a quick fix that is required – just a gradual regeneration, as Darren has pointed out.
    Like the new website layout Matt.
    Jen – did I see you with Gus Poyet on MOTD?
    Now for rugby from the southern hemisphere to fill my sports fix.

  72. Ree Khalid

    Agree with the sentiments of the article Matt. Nice new design to the site too!

    For now it looks like the future of this club is put on hold until a new owner comes in. Hopefully the new guy will listen to the fans and understand the concerns as expressed by the article and look to build for a secure and successful future.

    I dont think we should be reading too much into todays statement. We all suspected that the club was being readied for a sale after Lerner converted loans owed to him into equity. Incidentally, Al Fayed did the exact same thing 6 months or so before he sold Fulham. The reluctancy to spend any money in the January transfer window is also an indication. I doubt that Lerner has only come to this conclusion to sell recently. I suspect moves were made behind the scenes. Merril Lynch is the worlds leading brokerage firm and I suspect they had been instructed well before this statement. As Jenny has said due diligence is a long process for even small companies, a lot of communication, information sharing, asset appraisals etc, and even after that is the nitty gritty of the contract. It would take at least 3 months imo probably more.

    For what its worth, I think all the events recently such as the previous Lerner Statement and Culverhouse suspension etc points to the hierarchy panicking about the prospect of relegation and the need to placate the fans so they get off the players back. It looks as if they were in negotiations with interested parties which would no doubt have fallen apart if Villa dropped. I hope that he is negotiation with more than 1 party because if the work has not even started yet theres little chance of a takeover before the start of the season, meaning we are in limbo with little investment and no clear direction.

  74. Steve W

    Agreed with you that Lerner leaving is a good thing Andrew, but the crucial thing is how long that takes. If it drags on for any length of time then the playing and personnel changes we sorely need won’t happen, possibly until it is too late.

    WBA are ahead of our schedule as Pepe Mel is no more. Hopefully we’ll be looking at a higher level of candidate than them, and soon.

  75. runtings

    Newcastle want delph and weiman – weiman i would sell – only players i want to see next season are delph – tekkers – vlarr -onkore and the younger kids — there is a nice blank page at villa were with the right owner and manager the stage is set for a brand new villa to be put together without much fuss

  76. B6toBrasil

    I`m totally depondent and down about the club`s present and future.I fear us slipping through the divisions now.The same policies and budgets,if still in place next season,means relegation in my boo,particularly if the same manager is in place.
    .We can`t go on hoping for 3 worse teams,one season we will be one of the 3 at the trapdoor and I fear next season we will slip out of the PL, unless we receive investment from RL-very unlikely-or a quick sale.
    Randy`s statement was open and honest,we have we not had this in the previous 8 years?
    What if Randy sacks Lambert,who would want the job knowing we are for sale and that new owners would more than likely remove him?Stuck with Lerner,stuck with Lambert,stuck with Faulkner.
    Signing off for a few months,or until we are bought.You lot on AVL have been or were the only bright spark in an awful,awful season.
    Cheers,have a good summer all.

  78. steamer

    Hello,
    My personal opinion from a layman’s perspective is that the club has interested parties involved in discussions, M-L don’t find buyers, they negotiate deals from what iv’e heard. Admittedly i was very, very disappointed with the statement at first reading but when you analyse it there is a positive side,
    Lerner hasn’t just decided to sell, he did that two/three years ago and will have been sounding out prospective buyers. I would expect a deal to be FINALISED within a couple of weeks, i would like to add the proviso that i am actually an ‘effing idiot.

  79. Heroes-and-Villans

    I agree Steamer. The statement says goodbye to me! I think new owners will be in place soon. Learner has wanted out for ages and i find it hard to believe nothing is lined up…….all though he did appoint mcleish…..

  80. steamer

    B62,
    Enjoy the WC and see you next season, i did agree with your earlier comment that AVFC ought to close down AVFC if we start next season with these mongrels, and as for Krulack !!!!

  81. runtings

    B6B at least you have the sunshine and beautiful women while we have storms , rain and more rain at least we have monty and jenny babes to brighten AVL up – do stay away too long mate we could be the richest club in the world when you return

    🙂

  83. Paul Pears

    Faulkner has been strangely silent in all this you notice, as so far it is only the Yanks saying goodbye,. They have now washed their hands of AVFC, and Paul Faulkner has the job of the day to day running, until the deal is finalised and he is replaced.

    Norwich hatred of Lambert was when they were on a high and Chris Huyton was still manager. Times change quickly in football, and they need a new manager capable of handling their affairs in the Championship.

  86. Jenny Truman

    I’ve just read that Paul Faulkener will be doing a charity abseil for cystic fibrosis , as his son has been diagnosed with the condition . That puts it all into perspective . Very, very sad news.

  87. Jenny Truman

    Paul Faulkner’s fundraising page
    Fundraiser: Paul Faulkner

    Running total: £845.00
    Total raised incl. Gift Aid:£1,003.75
    Total donors:15
    Offline fundraising:£0.00
    Donate now
    About
    A month after William was born in September 2013 we discovered that he had Cystic Fibrosis. It was a terrible shock, but through everything the Cystic Fibrosis Trust has proven to be a great support, and i am determined to help them raise as much money as possible, so that one day, William, and anyone else with CF, may not have their life limited by the condition. A few people have requested that i do this abseil from the Holte End without a rope…if i can raise enough money then you never know! Please give generously and know that all of your support is massively appreciated and is going to a fantastic charity.Some additional blurb from Virgin Money Giving below.Many thanksPaulHi, thanks for visiting my page. Through Virgin Money Giving, you can sponsor me and donations will be quickly processed and passed to charities. Virgin Money Giving is a not for profit organisation and will claim gift aid on a charity’s behalf where the donor is eligible for this. I really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.
    Donate now

  88. Jenny Truman

    I felt I had to post that. I post critical articles so it’s only fair that we give this guy some support and understanding. All the money in the world won’t compensate what he has had to come to terms with and I hope he raises lots of money for this charity .

  89. B62 Villa

    Steamer
    Enjoy your summer, let’s hope this rain stops!!!
    As for new owners I’m not confident at all, RL and PF are buffoons that have made a mess of every business deal the’ve conducted since arriving, I have no faith they will coax some billionaire out of the woodwork, or have been forward thinking and proactive in the sale of the club. I have a horrible feeling this will drag on for some time yet, as we are vastly vet priced to cover RL idiocy, with no interest or investment in the side and Lambert remaining at the helm. I’m gonna lump on Villa getting relegated, just to ease the pain, and get my ST money covered/back.

  90. B62 Villa

    Jenny
    As much as I think PF is an arrogant fool, I feel for him and his family, fair play he’s even finding some humour at this dark time.
    Mind you he’ll need a strong rope 😉

  94. John Lerwill

    A serious illness – particularly when it happens to a child – touches anyone who has a heart.

    I wish Mr. Faulkner every success in his fundraising and every best wish to him, his wife and son.

  95. Paul Pears

    My heart goes out to Paul, as my grandson Ayden in Oz is also a Cystic Fribrosis sufferer. Fortunately detected at birth, and the Royal Free Hospital in Melbourne is one of the world leaders in the fight against the disease which is hereditary. Ayden is now doing well, and although a lot of care has to be taken, he is is leading a full and active life.

  96. Mark King

    exactly why hurling abuse at individuals no matter how much you feel you hate them is a bad idea, they are human after all, just doing a job. hope all goes well for PF and his family.

  97. Matt Turvey

    Hi Paul (Pears),

    Just trying to work out your issue with your avatar – did you create your account via Facebook? I ask as the link to the image you’re set to use is currently set as https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/1076465_1102541115_1631765226_q.jpg but as the file is not available, it isn’t showing a picture.

    Speaking of issues, Runtings – is your account a Facebook created one also as I believe you also had an issue with changing your avatar. Let me know, and my apologies for the delay in getting it sorted.

  99. Jenny Truman

    Clive – I’m now very concerned who I look like on MOTD 🙂 I hope I’m not being mixed up with Robbie Savage. If I had have been with Gus I’d be telling him that Aston is a very up market place with great restauranted and he’d be very welcome at our club 🙂

  100. steamer

    Once saw a programme on CF, bloody horrible, a real ordeal for the parents too.

    Is anyone else embarrassed by the pathetic penalty given away by our ‘legend’ on Sunday ? the ££££ he picks up and he’s jumping about like a tit in a trance because the ball may have hurt his chest, unbelievable. Time for a move Gabby, try Walsall.

  103. Jenny Truman

    It’s the silly season . Players Awards Dinner cancelled due to poor results , Really ? I thought we’d done a fantastic job staying up . Rumour has it the photo posted by Weimann on Instagram of the team celebrating on the coach after the pasting by Spurs plus similar video is the real reason . I don’t know but it all seems rather strange.

  105. Jenny Truman

    Tbh I thought Guzan was competing for the oscars with his rolling around . I suspect it was due to his closeness to being sent off or am I being too cynical . I played it back in slow motion saddo that I am and Bertrand hardly made contact . He looked bemused too 🙂

  107. Matt Turvey

    Can’t see anything yet Steamer.

    Need to rationalise the process as I currently have it set to two different accounts but I’ll fix that once I have a spare moment.

    In the meantime, many thanks to everyone who has contributed to the site’s upkeep costs – it is most certainly appreciated.

  108. Frem

    Doug says we are sold then to the radio.

    I feel like banging my head against a brick wall

    Some saying no deal is close, no buyer, others saying it will be after WC, others before, others saying its done, others it’s close

    Jesus

  109. Paul Pears

    Hi Matt

    Avatar worked originally via Facebook. then i tried to change it , but failed, so used the delete avatar button, and have not had one since, although I have tried every way, including the link you put above. Keeps saying successful, but nothing appears.

  110. Paul Pears

    Rumour is some guy had a load of Green Shield stamps and cashed them in with Argos under their old rules, and he has enough to buy Villa, and will announce his plans for the club on Wednesday…!!!!

    Hey Conchitta come quickly..!!! down at the market they are giving Green Stamps…..!!!

    Hey Speedie Gonzalez!! You better come home..!!!

  112. John Lerwill

    Jenny: Tbh I thought Guzan was competing for the oscars with his rolling around . I suspect it was due to his closeness to being sent off or am I being too cynical . I played it back in slow motion saddo that I am and Bertrand hardly made contact . He looked bemused too

    I’m with you there, Jenny. I’m afraid I saw a cynical “though shalt not pass” move by Guzan and thought he’d better feign injury to take the ref’s eye away from his foul.

    But seeing that the ref gave a pen against Gabby for what was an innocuous handball then maybe that balanced up the situation.

    They still played like a lot of schoolboys though.

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