Open message to Mr Lerner

[Manxman]

Mr Lerner,  After the result at Everton I decided to cheer myself up  a little by watching a few clips of our club in better times, and something happened while I was watching those clips that prompted me to write this message to you, I will refer back to this later. Now, I wasn't lusting after the glory days by watching cup finals and famous victories, just ordinary games on ordinary days, some of which we won, some of which we didn't but what became very apparent was just what you have taken from our club and it's wonderful supporters. I know your immediate response to this would be regarding finance, because it seems to me the only thing that you value is the dollar,and it is true that financially we aren't competing any more but what you have stripped from this club is worth  more than any amount of money. The reason that English football is so special is that coursing through the veins of every club, from the biggest in the premier league, to the non league teams playing in front of 50 fans, are qualities such as heart, passion, soul, pride, commitment, courage, desire and a sheer bloody minded will to do the absolute best for our club. Every one of these qualities you have taken from us leaving us with an empty shell of a club with it seems, no way forward. I know that you don't understand these things, and I know that you care even less, but every day you remain in control of this club plunges the knife a little further into the heart of every supporter who damn well does understand and damn well cares even more.
  So, what happened, while I was watching thaose clips that prompted me to write this message ?. Well, Mr Lerner, I am a 17 stone truck driver, an ex military man and not given to being over emotional, but in front of me while I watched was my note pad, on which i was absent mindedly doodling as I watched. After a while I looked down and that note pad was tear stained. That is what you have done to my club, it isn't so much the results, although they are bad enough, it is the total destruction of  the heart and soul of this club that is so devastating.
  If you were to give this club away for nothing I have no doubt that you and your family won't struggle to meet next months mortgage payments or put food on your table, so get what you can for it and let it go to someone that understands what we are about and let us begin the long road of repairing the huge amount of damage that you have done.
  If you have one shred of decency in you, then go and go now, and you can sit back and enjoy the hundreds of millions of Dollars that mean so much to you.

[Californian Villain]

I.B.T.L.

[OzVilla]

It's simple, he's wanted to sell for at least 2 years - it's just that no one wants to buy football clubs anymore.

His main (but not only) problem is he just keeps employing the wrong people who then sign the wrong people.

There are far worse owners out there with far better teams ironically.

[brian green]

As Ozvilla says, there are far worse owners than Randy Lerner. He is just an easy target. I suggest respectfully that infinitely more blame for our desperate plight lies with the players and previous managers who have, and still do turn up week after week and under perform.  They are the true culprits and that is where the rot has to be cut out.

[Clampy]

The last line was just a ridiculous thing to put.

[brian green]

Letters that contain phrases like "one shred of decency" should really be written in green ink.

[Hookeysmith]

I am sure not a single one of us would knock our house value down by 50% because the neighbours want us to.
How many other clubs are also up for sale. As to the posters point I honestly don't think it could be given away at present

Must be honest I am sick of Lerner getting stick. Every failing is done through either inexperience or business ineptitude not maliciously like Tan , the dildo mob, Ashley,the nutters at Leeds and Hull and let's not forget the hairdresser.hairdresser . We really need to be careful what we wish for

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

Trying to square this post with the OP's only other entry in H&V:

Although I'm not a Villa fan I was at tonights game with a few friends and what I saw was truly shocking and I'll try to explain why. My team play at Conference North level and obviously the players on the pitch for Villa are light years ahead of ours in terms of natural ability. However, every time we play there is total commitment, fight, heart, desire, and a bloody minded determination to win. From our manager there is organisation, leadership and an ability to affect the game if it isn't going our way. We don't win every game but anyone that beats us knows they've been in a fight. From Villa I saw nothing of these qualities from either players or manager to such a degree that I would actually fancy our chances if we were to play you. We had to change our manager earlier this season and it isn't an easy decision to make but with Villa's record being so poor it borders on negligence to have let it go this far. I genuinely wish you all the luck in the world for the rest of the season and hope you are in the Premier League next season but unless a change of manager is made now I fear the worst. I hope my comments are accepted in the spirit that they are made as I have total respect fo Aston Villa football club and it's fans, with my own club being just 15 miles from Birmingham, I am aware of what a great club it is.

Mind you the Conference North level bit might have been a bit prescient.

[brian green]

The tear stained notepad was a nice touch for a self confessed non Villa fan. File under T for Troll.

[richard moore]

As Ozvilla says, there are far worse owners than Randy Lerner. He is just an easy target. I suggest respectfully that infinitely more blame for our desperate plight lies with the players and previous managers who have, and still do turn up week after week and under perform.  They are the true culprits and that is where the rot has to be cut out.

I agree with your first sentence Brian, but not with the latter two. I spend my life examining and helping out failing companies and the success of any organisation is always down to good or bad leadership at the top

[Clampy]

Good spot Woofles.

[brian green]

I always respect your posts Richard as you know. What we have in common is proximity to struggling companies. You advise them, I own or direct them.  I have never had one go tits up on me yet though one or two have gone close. I find at the root of under performing businesses are under performing employees and executives, not chairmen. 

[Brend'Watkins]

The last line was just a ridiculous thing to put.

Just the last line?

[DB]

You may have a few employees under performing but not the whole company. It's the owners / board who set the strategy, make the decisions. I work at a large company and some of the decisions made have cost us. The employees still do the job asked of them. If there are poor performing employees it is up to tue management to sort them out.
 

[stuart r]