Years ago when I had just started with the Fire Department, we had a medical call. It was a late middle age man who had unfortunately died. We did what we could, mostly for optics-a caring crew. But all this was lost on his wife. She had no emotion except anger. He’s f’ing dead isn’t he? She screamed. I f’ing told him to look after himself and he didn’t and now he’s dead. He’s f’ing dead.

Anger is one of the emotions of loss. Villa fans have gone through the denial for years just like that poor wife asking her husband to look after himself and now it is anger. Anger at everything Villa. Anger of loss, from hopelessness, and also loss of love, companionship, and friendship. All these emotions rolled up into one mournful cry.

There are more stages of grief and the last one is acceptance. Acceptance is the feeling we have to get to in a hurry. Sure there are four games left in this season but the new season is only 12 weeks away. No time to loiter in self pity. It’s why funerals are so quick after a death. So people can get on with putting their lives back in some kind of order. I’m sure the new Villa board are already into the middle of sorting out the team both financially and players for the upcoming season in the Championship. But I just don’t get Lerner. He must live on another planet. He hasn’t sorted out what funds to put in place? Absolutely amazing. What does this man have running through his brain? He has less than 12 weeks. Does he think for one minute teams are waiting for the transfer season to start wheeling and dealing? Hell no. Everyone else are picking their dance partners as I write this.

He’s not a stupid man although he’s on the right track. He’s a man who just doesn’t care anymore. Villa is on his back burner. I’ll get to it after lunch. But lunch on what day? He’s withholding everyone from entering the acceptance stage of grief. He’s prolonging the grief and anger in everyone else. I suppose he burned ants with a magnifying glass as a child.

It’s impossible for Aston Villa to put all the steps in place for a successful season in the Championship until Lerner takes at least a financial interest in the club again. Everyone associated with the club are affected by his interest taking an uplift. He’s got less than 12 weeks.

I know it’s only a game and there are plenty of problems in this world. But this is a game that Lerner took an interest in 10 years or so ago. In my opinion he should man up and set things on the right track. Spending money on a football club comes with the territory. Just do it responsibly.

Now, I think we as a group should get rid of the blinders we are wearing and take off the rear view mirrors. It’s happened, the funeral is soon, let’s get over it and put a positive face on what’s coming up next season. After all the Championship is one of the best leagues in the world.

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Ian
I'm an Aston Villa fan who lives in Magna Bay BC Canada

Comments 90

  1. Paul Pears

    Wow!!!!!

    The breaking news is that the negotiations are with Wang of the Wanda Corporation, which had been broken off earlier…..and are now back on…..Thank you God…..

    If this is true, Aston Villa will rise like Phoenix from the ashes to become great again…..I am so glad that I read the article in the Asia Financial Daily a while ago, and felt it was on the button…..

    Welcome Mr Wang to Aston Villa….!!!!!!!

  2. Jenny Truman

    Thanks for the leader Ian , well written and of course you are right . We must look forward : it’s just difficult when the club are self destructing ! This a copy of my last post on Matts article

    Jenny Truman April 19, 2016 at 8:56 am
    Sorry I tuned in too late to see your tv extravaganza John !

    For what it’s worth , my ten pen worth .

    1. Resignation letters – Bernstein and King paid to review what has gone wrong at AV and put firearms proposals . They found fundamental problems , suggested solutions and RL rejected them. Clearly an acrimonious parting of the ways hence their curt letters and “deep regret as I’ve been AV supporter of 50 yrs”. Letters also say that the new disciplines out forward were not accepted . Question – who leaked these letters so quickly to the press. This is worrying – two board members jump ship after 35 days because they aren’t being listened to. The knife in the back for RL is in the final sentence “I suggest the owner sells up ASAP” or words to that effect . Note “owner ” not Randy or even Mr Lerner” and he should sell up. This doesn’t fit with the AV statement that villa is being sold . Why would they resign if we were near to sale ?

    2 The timing of the villa ‘sale announcement ‘ tells its own story . On the day of the embarrassing resignations we are suddenly in “extensive negotiations to be sold”. Why use the words “extensive negotiations “. They are meaningless . Extensive negotiations could just mean we are negotiating the fees of the law firm or agents tasked with selling the club . It’s a last ditch attempt to divert attention away from the chaos .

    3. Stan’s show and his suggestions for him to sort the players out – in his words – bollicking and giving gabby , Lescott , Jack , Richafds a cuddle . I’m sorry but Stabs his worst enemy because his knowledge of football – and he’s a good pundit – is cancelled out by his arrogance and naivety . “Only ex footballers can sort these players out – I’ve offered to sort out Lescott by offering outside but when we meet I will give him a hug – that’s how footballers deal with it “. This is laughable as players of today aren’t going to listen to someone who gets into Twitter bitch fests and retweets private messages as he did with Lescott . Can he not see that .

    Stan clearly wants a role at villa but is his three hours blast about the shirt comings of everyone at the club going to get him a job . Of course it isn’t . Randy’s Lerner keeps his cards close to his chest , Krulak has said “we do things privately ” . If Stan wants a role he should keep quiet , present his manifesto to AV (which he has prepared ) and do this in private . Can he really not see this ?

    4. Well maybe he can and its all to spice up his show and get another award . Because he had villa fans everywhere tuning in with baited breath as be said “there’s going to be a big exclusive coming up at 11 pm which villa fans won’t like “. It’s front page of the sun but by a very respected journalist . (Well those two statements are a contradiction for a start ) It won’t be gossip he said as this journalist is serious . Stan hinted that it was about a sale . Twitter melt down , people stopping up , front page news . Well this serious and exclusive story turned out not to be about the sale but gabby being pictured with two villa fans (haven’t seen any like that at villa park ) and a load of empty legal highs . No news , same old footballer rubbish by the ‘serious journalists ‘. But well done Stan – you duped us all . We all tuned into talk sport so either you know no more than we do or this whole villa thing is just to increase the talk sport ratings .

    4. We now have Dwiggt Yorke , Ian Taylor , Stan Collymore, Paul McG all offering and hoping to get involved at AV . If the ex footballers method of communicating that Stan talks about ie offering outside and having a punch up , I can’t wait .

    Can’t wait for the next episode of Aston Villa Lies

  3. Villalore

    Nice analogy for our state of mind, I only ask if the funeral is really over? Every time we think that’s it, the worst is over, there’s new miseries like board members resigning in two months time or more Gabby nonsense. When is the tunnel ending, seems to be a cave in.

  4. Clive Evans

    Nice one Ian; let’s hope Paul’s post has some truth in it and Lerner manages to WANGle his way out of B6.

    Then maybe it will be a case of the King is dead – ling live the King (so long as his name is not Wan!)

    UTV

  5. runtings

    great discretion of the grieving process – we have know that we have been dying for so long so all the anger followed by grief happened months ago for me

    hope Randy doesn’t mess up the sale this time — thank you prince wills

  6. Heroes-and-Villans

    The sale rumours are bullshine imo. To just add it on the end of the resignation statement is just trying to calm the fans. There is more chance of us getting into administartion than a takeover. Why not tell us in Hollis statement the other day?! Mugging us off and if there are no protests at the next home game ill be gutted.

    Its simply shit or bust, new owners or a struggle to stay in the championship.

    Chap on the last post was spot on…Warnock is the only one who would prob take us on in this state.

    I am fully in anger mode after yestradys resignations. And for those to resign shows how good they are imo, proper football men on the board at last with prinicpals…and they last 2 months!! You couldnt make it up if you tried.

  7. DarrenO

    This is the longest death I’ve ever seen, 10 years in the making and still the pall bearers drop off, who will be left to carry the coffin.

    I’m positive that relegation brought about the required change. I fear to think Fox and co would be patting themselves on the back if we survived another season but still the rot was in the club.

    Problem with the analogy is death tends to be the final act but Villa continue to splutter and cough their way to the front and back pages for all the wrong reasons.

    I referenced that Footballasia piece a few days ago and between myself and Steamer we did question why Wanda was the one signaled out from all the potential Chinese billionaires.

    If this transpires, it will be saving of the club, administration risks removed and an owner who generates enough wealth not to be reliant on AVFC to be a revenue source. But more importantly he’ll look to run the club effectively, we may get some weird sponsor names on our shirt but China is the future of football in terms of their development as a powerhouse and we can only benefit. For the nightmare of the last 6 years, is there finally a silver lining starting to shine.

    I disagree with the assertion that he is not a stupid man, loads of brains and no sense is a poor combination. I think we have an academic in that he’s a qualified lawyer, he’s acquired a family trust down to his father’s hard work and proceeded to squander it in Cleveland and Birmingham. To me his is stupid for not recognising his own shortcomings and appointing all the wrong people into every position of authority.

    back to FOLAH

  9. John Lerwill

    Jenny: “Why would they resign if we were near to sale ?”

    Yes, that is exactly what I asked on the previous thread. It bothers me.

    And I liked the rest of your comment.

    But my “extravaganza”? The biggest part of that turned out to be undue focus on my walking stick?!!!!!!!! 😀

  10. Heroes-and-Villans

    this is whats coming out now on ssn. they have resigned because the takeover is stalled or off!

    And other reports saying takeover wide of mark.

    Im not hopefuly or anything, i just feel dead. Its prob a bit like stockholm syndrom, im now under learners powers.

    The main thing is we need a manager…just going to focus on moyes or pearson. Hearing a lot of good things about pearson, i have gone from being meh about him to being excited if we got him.

  11. Heroes-and-Villans

    confirmed the upper trinity to be close off next season. its nothing but good news.

    Any real need for this with a competitive ticket pricing in place and the right manager and new players…we would still pack out. Oh yeah none of that is going to happen….might as well call vp ghost town. players could run out to the music, this town is getting like a ghost town!!

  12. B6toBrasil

    A good leader Ian.I accepted the relegation bit months ago.It’s the post mortem that is lasting so long.I thought we were moving forward with a football board in place,but that lasted just over 30 days.

    Jenny,I listened to TalkTripe for the 1st time in 14 years.Stan made some good points,backed up by weak arguments.Only ex pros……..blah,blah,blah.It was the longest job application in history.
    The revelation about Reilly presenting his card to Moyes at the end of a training session and said we want you at Villa,was shameful,unproffesional,and desperate in equal measure.Most of all though it was revealing of the manner of Lerner’s naievity and bufoonery.You don’t send a statss man to Spain to get a manager,like buying a tin of beans from a supermarket……..we we do it seems.As ANdrew said last night,Reilly is still at the club.Lerner’s Clown College rolls on to the Championship.

  13. Clive Evans

    What is all this talk of Moyes? In my mind we need a Warnock, or an Allardyce to get the club back in contention.

    Refinement comes later as both these managers realise – they are the Red Adairs of the football business; probably younger readers will not understand the reference but he was the guy they called in to cap oil wells that had ignited – top of the tree. After he capped the well he walked away to await further calls to bolster his pension pot!

  14. Heroes-and-Villans

    Not sure if any one saw it but the marseil fans brought in a music system and kept playing the benny hill song when they got the ball…genius. It would be great if we could think of something. Id like everyone to get in the stadium half hour before kick off….sing there hearts out and when the ref blows for kick off get up and walk out.

  16. runtings

    Club statement – Gabby under another investigation

    I think Jen was probably on the money when she said last night that there are some major underlying issues with gabby

    It seems his whole life is ciaos and the paths he is taking are ones of self destruction as well as very unprofessional

  17. DarrenO

    Is our home support that disenfranchised that the expectation of not selling in the Trinity upper has Villa closing it down.

    I’d hope that Villa mgmt would be clever enough to wait to see what manager came in, what players came in, if and when we get a new owner and how ST sales went and the pricing of the same before deciding to close a tier. Again a Villa answer to a Villa problem.

    Can Villa mgmt just take one step back and let the dust settle on relegation NO, can they take one step back and let the dust settle on board resignations NO, can they manage the PR of Villa legend Flabby and let the dust settle on his latest escapade NO. Straight in with we’re closing a tier because we don’t expect you to turn up and if you do we’d like you to sit together.

    By the time I go to bed, I expect several more agents to declare their players are leaving Villa, Lescott to post a picture of a mansion he’s buying, Bevington to resign, Little to walk away and Riley to assume full control of football matters. And on the official site, a Pauline McGlynn interview on her favourite players from the past cos thats what we want to know.

    FOLAH

  18. southwestvillan

    Lets hope for a cremation, as Hollis says to Riley did you bring the matches FFS I gave you one job to do.

    It is absolutely impossible to imagine how further we can fall from grace, our stock must have reached an all time low even the football world are bored with taking the piss out of us, I mean the commentator on the spuds game last night just had to make the comment that Kane has scored the same amount of goals as the Villa, every opportunity they get they kick us.

    Ian writes a fair article but it is extremely hard to have any positivity about this club, we lurch from one crisis to the next at the moment there is only Hollis ,Bevington and Little running the club, Reilly and Krulak are clueless and should have gone ages ago, the staff at VP are all waiting for their letters with their next payslip, the players are all trying to find a way out which to be fair is the only bright light I can see, as for our club captain he is an utter disgrace and should be run out of Birmingham, a younger Groombridge would have taken that job on no problem.

    Would any manager with a modicum of self respect take on this job, not knowing who he is working for not knowing if there is anybody left to interview him, we await the next episode of Fawlty Villa Park.

    The banner at OT that said ” From Rotterdam to Rotherham ” was a brilliant piece that says we fans might be broken but at least we know what direction we are going in, unlike our kamikaze board.

    SWV

  19. DarrenO

    Can I get my pedant bit out of the way, see it all the time on Facebook and for some reason it’s got under my skin.

    It’s Paddy Riley not Reilly, Paddy Reilly is an Irish singer, youtube him. Paddy Riley is a leech on Villa, two very different people.

  20. DarrenO

    Chairman of the Irish Lions club has withdrawn financial support from the current regime and urging all Villa fans to follow suit.

    I’m in complete agreement, not lining the pockets of Lerner anymore, merchandise purchasing is on hold until their is a new owner

  24. Heroes-and-Villans

    runtings….sweet. Bruce and black the dream duo. cant wait till they get the best out of the unflushables. I just know theres a decent player in hutton, bacuna, westy, gabby somewhere. Might give nzog a new deal too and get the best out of him. He is in his prime now.

    Im off to get a season ticket.

  28. steamer

    I think Rowetts deluded outburst about the vermin now being ‘the pride of Brum’ shows why we should never consider anyone from the ghetto, that ‘club’ is ninth in the Championship and is one of our few victims with the worst team in our history. This is the most relegated team from the top division in history (12 ?)and yet their neanderthal fans still dream that they are B,hams premier club , 2 poxy League Cups in 141 years, ye gods even Bury have won the FA Cup. Not one piece of evidence supports this illusion but i suppose they need a dream in their hours of unemployment.
    Rowett, who is now getting slagged by these scum would jump at the opportunity of managing the club he supports despite the fact he’s not good enough. Stick at your level Gary you’ll never be good enough for us.

  29. steamers75

    Ok Ok
    who is Estar . Ester@smith , who has looked at my profile on here and would like to get to know me more and even send me a photo to see if l like them , and seems that lm a nice person ,

    l can understand that this person finds me attractive and would like to get to know me more , but lm going to have to let you go my love and l do realise you will have looked at the other males on here and not impressed , but my love interest is with our very own Jenny . sorry to disappoint you .

    on the villa
    PANIC PANIC PANIC

  31. steamer

    Regarding the staff redundancies –
    ‘Lee Barron, regional secretary of the TUC, said he was happy to assist staff going through cuts. Mr Barron, a Villa season ticket holder of more than 30 years, said: “Everybody is just sitting there open-mouthed at the moment. It seems to me the cuts started with the people who worked for Aston Villa not just for the money but because of their connection to the club.”

    I reiterate, Randy Lerner will put AVFC into administration and willfully do as much damage to the club as is possible even going to the lengths of closure. Our club is finished, a dead parrot, no more.

  33. steamers75

    Ooooohh the bitch . She didnt waste time.
    Jg l have no idea .i think the website has been hacked. I bet SWV and MK are pissed off as they hav’nt been contacted . Didums

  34. Ian

    She’s after my panties too. Maybe direct her to a blues blog. Must be a Wang fan.
    Thanks for the replies guys. The misery that occurred from writing to being printed is amazing.
    I guess we’ll just have to stay tuned for more shite

  36. B6toBrasil

    STEAMER,I’ve always felt that you were a little harsh onLerner in terms of his (sucessful so far)efforts to destroy the club,and his determination to urinate on the great memories we have had following t he Villa.However I now must agree with you,no question.The man has got so much wrong so frequently.I don’t believe he wakes up each day and thinks “how can I ruin the club further today”……but he has got so much so wrong,so often,it appears so.His association with the club is an ongoing disaster,which becomes worse by the day.I had high hopes with a football board in place,that we might progress,but the man is a failure a 24 carat clown.With these men in the driving seat we had a fighting chance,this has now evaporated.Riley remains with his effin laptop and stats.There is simply no one left to lie to.I do not swallow the takeover lie,which is surely a load of bullshine to take away attention from the resignations.

  38. Frankfurt Villan

    The only way we can reasonably escape from this morass, is for Sir Mervyn King to arrange a syndicate of high net worth individuals who have an interest in AVFC, or at least British football. I can imagine that he must be outraged at what is happening, both in football terms and in relation to the loss of 500 jobs. Within the context of the Brum economy, 500 is a huge number, and it is likely those hit will be concentrated in the general Aston area.

    I have no confidence in Chinese interests acquiring the club. We need people who know the history of Villa and who understand the passion of fans (not customers). Given the recent double resignations, Hollis’s position is surely intolerable.

    MK through his sporting interests, cricket, tennis, football will know many well-connected and wealthy people. I see this as the only hope. Otherwise, as Steamer says, it is a bleak prospect.

  39. Jenny Truman

    I was getting ready to do a Collymore / Lescott and offer outside to ms smith for contacting my man st75 – keep your hands off ‘ but then I received an e mail from her too saying she thought she’d found the right person in me !!
    Sorry to disappoint you lads 🙂

    500 jobs is huge – and whilst the club may be over staffed , that’s not the fault of the employees who have families to support and bills to pay . The closing down of stands is another negative – maybe necessary but why the hell announce it now . Couldn’t this have waited until August .

    As for the “extensive negotiations ” sweetener put out by the club , the mirror are reporting there are no negotiations for sale as we don’t have a buyer .

    Meanwhile back at the wacky warehouse Black has fallen out with Okore so he’s out the first team . What next ? I predict mutiny at BMH . Watch this space I’m not joking . These “going on behind scenes ” things M Richards alluded to are coming to a head now and we only know the gossip stuff that make the red tops. There will be more and it’s sickening .

  40. Jenny Truman

    I agree FFvillain. It’s a catch 22 situation . Drop the price to get quick sale opens the door to all types of crooks and syndicates of the Carsen variety . I just can’t see MKing getting any high worth individual to invest (well only his worst enemy ). He’s gone and not on good terms either .

  42. John Lerwill

    Steamer’s prognostications seem to get more accurate by the day (though I’d not go with the idea that Villa will die)…

    Yes, I now agree that the likely scenario is that Lerner is setting up an administration to take place end of June but in the process ensuring he takes out what he can to repay himself for all the good work he (Lerner) has done.

    If there is a Chinese takeover, it’s likely they’re waiting for the administration to take effect so that they can buy at the cheapest price. That’s how successful businessmen become successful.

  43. southwestvillan

    Blimey I didn’t realise it was a scam Ester is the only positive thing to come out of AVL in months, I have just cancelled my date with her.

    Will the last person out of VP please turn out the lights that electricity costs money you know, what an absolute shambles I actually think I am lost for words.

    SWV

  44. runtings

    st75 i feel dirty now knowing that girl sent you that email as well as me at the same time, I thought I had finally found the one
    mind your sounds like she swings both ways so still could be worth a shout 🙂

  45. Heroes-and-Villans

    I acceptted relegation but remained hopefull Bernstein and the board had a plan, with those two going all hope for me has died. The candle has gone out. John Percy reckons there is something in the takeover talk and rumours on twitter king & bernstein resigned to be part of a takeover. All rumours and clutching at straws but its all i have to keep going, need to cling on for a takeover else ill break.

  46. Heroes-and-Villans

    Another trail of thought is it might be moyes and he wont work with a football board. Reily still there and best mates with randy…his wife also works at villa. Wonder if her jobs under threat.

  47. Heroes-and-Villans

    The old geordies looked very good last night, rafa has got them going fair play to him. Think they might stay up. Would rather Norwich went down….less competion next season in the vain hope we might challenge!

  48. southwestvillan

    Apparently Bevington will be the next one to leave he was asked to come on board by Bernstein and he now feels it would be right and proper to follow DB out of the door.
    Is anyone left at VP or is Krulak running the show when will the nightmare end.

    SWV

  49. Heroes-and-Villans

    I dont think we can worry who may take over from randy…are they really going to be worse! Odds on they must be better. All i know is randys got us relegated and no interest to get us back up.

  51. Heroes-and-Villans

    nice one runtings

    Was going to ask what merv said….on twitter they say looks like a sale on! Dear god i dont often pray but im begging for this to be true and if you make it the chinese dude ill be for ever gratefull. Amen.

    Funny how you only pray when you want something.

    Why would merv and bernstein walk if they thought a sale was going to happen though?

  52. runtings

    Andrew it is very odd him leaving they way he did in such a short time

    the two positive theories are that king and co could be part of the buyers or that there was no point them hanging around if we are going to be sold as they were brought in to restructure Lerners asset

  53. southwestvillan

    Andrew,

    You ask a very good question why would they walk away if sale is going to happen.

    Perhaps to finalise the sale of a club may take weeks maybe months and they felt that we needed a new manager to prepare for the new season as soon as possible but it was not sanctioned by Hollis and Lerner, and to be fair I can understand it to a certain degree because if you are new owners you may want to pick your own manager.

    SWV

  54. DarrenO

    I think the efforts to restructure the club were thwarted by Lerner because the club is very close to a sale. They (Bernstein and King) felt their remit no longer required their services and were miffed that communication on the sale wasn’t forthcoming and so wasted their time securing the manager they felt would take Villa forward.

    The interesting thing about King’s interview on Bloomberg is that changes will take place in the next few weeks, this precludes any purchaser’s ability to conduct due diligence so I expect due diligence has already been performed and Wang is one of the parties that has already done this.

    If we aren’t taken over, administration is a likely option for Lerner to be able to walk away from any debts apart from those incurred by his holding company.

    Can’t wait for all Lerner associations are gone from the club, Hollis, Krulak and RILEY :). Start again, new league, new investment and evidence to the new owner that getting the right people in is paramount, getting things right on the pitch and the rest will follow.

    If it is Dalian Wanda Ltd, does that mean Dalian Atkinson will return

  55. Heroes-and-Villans

    yeah that could be possible swv. Hope its a positive reason!

    I think the lack of information is terrible from the club. Lets us know exactly whats going orelse keep quiet. Just do a little sentenace out the blue is stupid.

  56. Heroes-and-Villans

    I refuse to believe its somone ike wanda group, too good to be true.

    More likely to be a group of investors. The secret footballer said he along with a consortium tried to buy villa a while a go but learner would not budge. could be them again

  59. steamer

    Don’t know about this, he mentions “the sale” but isn’t definite that a sale is actually taking place at the moment or even at all.

  60. steamer

    Talk of Alisher Usmanovs plane landing in Birmingham or NY (not specific ) but possibly gives another theory to the resignations – DB & MK set up a takeover and Lerner was pissing around making demands so they though F-it and walked.
    Alisher is a stern critic of Wenger and may have lost patience with Arsenal’s frugal, by top level, spending.

  61. DarrenO

    I see the Groundsmen won an award for the pitch probably because there’s been no football played on it since 2010 – I’ll get my coat

  62. Jenny Truman

    Talk about a can of worms. Riddles, more riddles and the usual PR speak

    BBC reporting that Bernstein and King left after bitter fall out with RL Their resignations the result of a “Highly unpleasant exchange with Lerner”. ….. they thought they would have far more authority. Villa say” Hollis is engaged in extensive negotiations in relation to the sale of the club.”

    “In relation to the sale of the club” Does not say negotiations with a buyer and the “relation to the sale” is either a carefully worded foil or I am just being unduly pedantic. To me there is no buyer.

  63. DarrenO

    The other way to look at that is that mention of club and sale a number of times in the last couple of days when things had been so quiet would lead to an assumption something is happening.

  64. steamer

    Jen,
    Apparently someone leaked an email between DB & MK criticising the idiot who gave them a talking to, so they resigned.
    The MK interview on a takeover is ambiguous, i tend to take your stance on it, it always happens when ST renewals are up.
    Those groundsmen did a fantastic job on VP, they’ve probably been made redundant by now.

  65. runtings

    you beat me too it steamer

    Hollis comes across as very decent and i am hoping that is the case , and hope he wouldn’t just come out with stuff to con the villa fans further

    what a soap opera

  66. steamer

    Deluded nutcase Lambert chirping again, he actually believes he saved us –

    It is sad for the club,” added the Scot after Villa’s relegation was confirmed. “I probably saw for a few more years than anybody what was going to happen.

    “If you look at the money I did spend and the money I did save them , staying in the League for that length of time was one of my biggest achievements because of the resources that were there.

  68. Jenny Truman

    May be a coincidence but don’t we have a sale on the cards this time every year when either a there is a scandal or / and b ST renewals are due . Like Steamer said , it’s always released at these times . Let’s hope this time it’s actually true and the timing is just a fluke .

    Grounds men should be proud – they do a fantastic job – lawn mowers out within half an hour the match finishes or should I say the rollers .

    Steamer – Lambert is such a comedian 🙂

  69. James Gill

    On Lambert
    This time last year Sherwood said we had to get rid of losers yet fox gave them all new contracts, Hutton bacuna Gabby wastewood clark and baker
    How much over last 5 years has Lerner banked,we made over 30 million loss yet Newcastle who spent money made profit of 30 m, is it Riley’s missess that’s cooking the books for lerner

  70. Trinity

    Ian
    Good article. Thanks!
    I hope there’s a change for the better sooner than later so we can concentrate on the football again.
    If done properly, we have an exciting year ahead of us.

  72. runtings

    Lambert almost brought the club to its knees with his exstreamly poor buys not to mention his shockingly negative tactics
    Most of the players lambert brought were sold the following year – put out loan or freed

    he having a laugh if he thinks he done good especially as he actually had money to spend

  75. steamers75

    Im waiting in carpark whilst daughter takes singing exam and i bought The “i” newspaper . Have a read of the Ian Herbert article on gabby . Quite a good summary . Talking of herberts . Steamer hows the pigeon . Video has gone down well on fb .

  76. B6toBrasil

    Yes Deano,read that.Amazing the power and influence he has at VP.We are a joke club,no leadership at all.Everyone coming and going as they please……I’m not saying anything new here but our circumstances are so frustrating.Lerner’s claret and blue cicrcus.Loving the book you sent me.COYVB.

  79. steamer

    When the Oracle takeover happens i hope our supporters retain their humility, i’m certain that our new manager, Mr Mourinho will point out to his signings, Messi and Ronaldo that it will be three years before the European Cup returns to VP.
    The new car park at St Andrews will be completed within weeks of the slum currently on the site being demolished. Of course gas street basin will need massively enlarging in case our new owner requires space for one of his fleet of yachts.
    Being a great philanthropist i hope the owner can set up some sort pf work shop in the poverty stricken Small Heath area, doubling the soap allocation to two bars a month for each street, lets not be arrogant with the lesser mortals, it doesn’t become us.

  80. John Lerwill

    ST75: “Have a read of the Ian Herbert article on gabby [in the ‘i’] . Quite a good summary .”

    Great minds think alike! 😉

    A killing quote from the article by Ian Herbert is:

    “In a sense, Agbonlahor is a parable for what Villa have become under Randy Lerner: a spineless club so incapable of creating the conditions for strong management that egos like those of Agbonlahor – the so-called ‘Mr. Villa’ – are able to take root.”

    This sort of think is something that no-one could have written about Aston Villa not that long ago.

  81. steamer

    Andrew,
    Me neither.

    I see Herbert still won’t admit he made a mistake selling to Lerner, he slagged off Michael Neville and virtually called his honesty into disrepute, now i know Neville and he’s not only a great bloke but totally honest and took Ian Taylor into senior non-league footy as well. Why does the Mail always turn to the dummies who do the most damage to the club when they want a story, Herbert, McCleish, Lambert, who next ?

  82. runtings

    🙂 love it steamer

    Andrew i know what your saying – haven’t we all been here before

    however surely even Lerner can see it is time to move on — the press have been very reluctant to slate lerner during his time at villa – something that come with being part of the elite i guess but the tide has turned and he won’t get away with hanging onto the club with severe criticism anymore

    i remain optimistic the club will get more of what it deserves

    didn’t we come up and win the title followed by the European cup last time we went down ?

  83. John Lerwill

    This comment on MOMS underlines the apparent sad state of affairs:

    “Without saying a word in public, it would seem that AWOL owner Randy Lerner has managed to stop any progress towards long-term recovery by antagonising two recent board appointees by driving them to quit.”

    But Mervyn King seems to be opti of progress…

  84. steamer

    JL,
    When you think of all the great names associated with our club since 1874 and Agbonklahor humiliates the club like no-one before. Iv’e disliked loads of Villa players, usually because they don’t try, Callaghan & Hodge, but i actually hate this fat fraud and the thing is he still doesn’t accept that he’s done anything wrong.

  86. John Lerwill

    Steamer,

    Until the last 2 or 3 months I actually thought you were exaggerating about Gabby … and I apologise for thinking so badly about you!

    I am – to say the least – both amazed and distraught that the club captain couldn’t bring himself to be the man that what so badly needed. But the big question is, of course, what kind of person would have appointed him as club captain to start with, knowing his attitude?

  88. Heroes-and-Villans

    I just dont understand it re Gabby. Someone who partys hard, has a nagative hold in the dressing room, come and goes as he pleases and we ALLOW him since the o neil days. Now if it was messi i might understand it but the guys rubbish! WTF.

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