Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: The Laughing Policeman on July 08, 2014, 09:38:00 AM

Title: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: The Laughing Policeman on July 08, 2014, 09:38:00 AM
Just heard on 5Live that Faulkner is to step down as Chief Executive.
Nothing on the OS at the moment.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner?
Post by: Gregorys Boy on July 08, 2014, 09:40:07 AM
Just heard on 5Live that Faulkner is to step down as Chief Executive.
Nothing on the OS at the moment.

I guess this isn't really surprising, but thought it might wait until the new owners are in place.  Weather this is a sign of a deal becoming closer who knows.  Good luck to him.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner?
Post by: Dr Butler on July 08, 2014, 09:41:39 AM
on the official site right now TLP....
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner?
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 09:43:15 AM
That's interesting, does that imply things have moved along?

Either way thanks to Paul in terms on the commercial stuff he did for the club.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner?
Post by: Ger Regan on July 08, 2014, 09:47:10 AM
Not sure how good this is in terms of signing new players tbh, regardless of what people think of his performance as CEO.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner?
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 09:49:29 AM
It could mean something is in the pipeline in regards to the takeover but I doubt Randy would have issued yesterday's statement if something was close to being done. Interesting development none the less.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Simon Ward on July 08, 2014, 09:54:01 AM
I can see the headlines in the Mail "Villa in crisis"!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 09:57:02 AM
To be perfectly honest, I have absolutely no idea if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Given the terrible business and football decisions that have been made at the club during Randy's tenure though, I think I'm leaning towards 'good'.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: glasses on July 08, 2014, 10:00:02 AM
http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=39665.15

Just dug this out.

Who knew he was a Norwich fan.

Makes Lambert, Holt and Hoolahan make sense now!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 10:01:56 AM
I think this is bad news in terms of signings.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: glasses on July 08, 2014, 10:02:12 AM
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3973205,00.html
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 10:05:11 AM
Robin Russel in temporary charge then. At elast he knows the club, but what he knows about transfers, beyond the cost of them, remains to be seen!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 10:05:23 AM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know. It's obvious that the Chairman is likely to be making decisions like that. Who'd spend hundreds of millions on a club and not even want to decide who the manager was?

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

Hopefully his departure indicates that a deal may be completed at some point before Christmas.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 10:05:38 AM
I see this as a positive. The guy was clueless and out of his depth. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeB on July 08, 2014, 10:06:30 AM
I think this is bad news in terms of signings.

Roy can handle any sensitive negotiations.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 10:07:38 AM
I think this is bad news in terms of signings.

Roy can handle any sensitive negotiations.

I guess he can give them the Vito Corleone offer...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: villasjf on July 08, 2014, 10:07:53 AM
Strange timing but everything about our club is strange at the moment. Not sure its good or bad news. Better the devil you know.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:10:40 AM
I am pretty flabbergasted.

Yesterday, Randy says he's going to pay more attention and there's no buyer. Today the CEO quits.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 10:12:19 AM
Maybe they had a fall out? Thinking about it I can't believe a deal is imminent or why would Randy have bothered to make a statement yesterday?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:13:16 AM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know.

Of course Randy would have the final say on everything, but what do you think he was employed for if not to deal with things like recruitment of managerial staff and overseeing of spending? At the very least, he was in a position where he should be advising the Chairman (a fellow 'non-football man') and steering him away form making bad appointments. which he didn't.

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

I don't regard this as being particularly impressive. Football finances are growing hugely year-on-year, so our sponsorship and kit deals should be too. Anything less would be bad practice, IMHO. It's much more relevant to judge deals like this against our competitors, rather than our own previous ones. I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that we're well behind the likes of Tottenham, Newcastle and Everton - clubs that we should be competing against on-and-off the pitch.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:13:39 AM
Maybe they had a fall out? Thinking about it I can't believe a deal is imminent or why would Randy have bothered to make a statement yesterday?

That's what I don't get.

If Randy hadn't said anything yesterday, we'd now all be thinking a deal was imminent. He did, though, he said a deal wasn't done.

I suppose the only sensible thing would be that he knew this was coming - as he must have done, Faulkner won't just have quit this morning - and wanted to reassure people in advance.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bertlambshank on July 08, 2014, 10:17:49 AM
Let's hope we find a CEO with football experience.PF has found the right place to work at the FA.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: levico on July 08, 2014, 10:19:51 AM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Is Faulkner a rat deserting a sinking ship?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 10:20:32 AM
Just glad he's gone either way. He was part and parcel of some mental decisions down B6 so I'm shedding no tears .
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 10:20:35 AM
Somebdoy had said a while ago that they'd heard Faulkner was planning on stepping down.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:21:01 AM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Omnishambles. Is that French for cluster-fuck...?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: chrisw1 on July 08, 2014, 10:21:07 AM
Let's hope we find a CEO with football experience.PF has found the right place to work at the FA.

Who of any merit would join us right now with a sale in the pipeline?  This is unbelievable timing.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:22:19 AM
Let's hope we find a CEO with football experience.PF has found the right place to work at the FA.

Who of any merit would join us right now with a sale in the pipeline?  This is unbelievable timing.

I'm just glad we had the foresight to get all of our transfer-dealings done so early in the summer...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 10:22:53 AM
We're not hiring a new CEO, Robin Russel has stepped up to cover.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bertlambshank on July 08, 2014, 10:23:53 AM
We're not hiring a new CEO, Robin Russel has stepped up to cover.
Yes to cover,until we are sold I would of thought.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:23:56 AM
Just glad he's gone either way. He was part and parcel of some mental decisions down B6 so I'm shedding no tears .

Whilst I agree, he deserves a lot of the criticism he has had in the past, i think you have to look at this sensibly and seperate what we think of Faulkner and what is best for the club.

I am pretty unimpressed with his tenure, so like you, ordinarily wouldn't be overly upset to see him go. But to go now, with the club in a state of uncertainty, with all the talk of takeovers, with the players just returned for training, with a chairman who wants out but can't get out?

Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: not3bad on July 08, 2014, 10:24:33 AM
Is Faulkner a rat deserting a sinking ship?

Or is he simply leaving because the club will not have a place for him after the takeover next season? Maybe there are opportunities he wants to explore now rather than in a couple of months?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 10:25:23 AM
We're not hiring a new CEO, Robin Russel has stepped up to cover.

Is correct, there's no chance a new CEO will be appointed.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:28:17 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:30:42 AM
Also - I wonder if this will have any effect on Delph's new contract?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 10:33:03 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.

Why? He does have his own career to think about. He's not duty bound to pledge himself to the club. People move on to different things all the time.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 10:33:36 AM
Careers in football chop and change probably more than most.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Monty on July 08, 2014, 10:35:20 AM
Also - I wonder if this will have any effect on Delph's new contract?

Maybe there is no contract - maybe this was the 'good news'.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:37:05 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.

Why? He does have his own career to think about. He's not duty bound to pledge himself to the club. People move on to different things all the time.

Oh, I totally agree with that, too. He is completely at will to do what he wants in that sense, he doesn't owe us anything. It's really the wider situation I was talking about and that I don't see how him going now is good for the club.

We used to complain Faulkner wasn't a football person. How much of one do we think Robin Russell is going to be?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: BC54 VFC on July 08, 2014, 10:37:18 AM
http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/118571-aston-villa-chief-leaves-club?utm_source=breaking_news_newsletter&utm_medium=top_story_article&utm_campaign=breaking_news_tracker
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 10:37:29 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.

Why? He does have his own career to think about. He's not duty bound to pledge himself to the club. People move on to different things all the time.

Exactly, why should he hang around knowing he likely won't be part of any new regime? If I was him and I had opportunities elsewhere now, I'd move on.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Villan For Life on July 08, 2014, 10:37:49 AM
The statement on the club website says that Lerner and Faulkner couldn't agree on PF's role within RL's wider business structure, ie post sale. I don't see how this really affects us that much.

You can't blame the bloke for thinking of his future career prospects.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:38:10 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.

Why? He does have his own career to think about. He's not duty bound to pledge himself to the club. People move on to different things all the time.

Of course they do, but as an Aston Villa fan my regard for him is shaped by what he's done for the Football Club. A series of bad decisions, followed by stepping down when the club is in a state of limbo. That, ultimately, was why my opinion of MON soured and why I wont be rushing to wish either of them well in their future pursuits.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Villafirst on July 08, 2014, 10:38:46 AM
Let's hope we find a CEO with football experience.PF has found the right place to work at the FA.

Steve Stride?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: villasjf on July 08, 2014, 10:38:56 AM
Somebdoy had said a while ago that they'd heard Faulkner was planning on stepping down.
I think he abseiled down. I wonder if Keane's stare and handshake on their meeting yesterday had any influence in this.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ozzjim on July 08, 2014, 10:39:56 AM
Hasn't it long been speculated that lambert goes straight to Lerner much of the time and PF is completely in the dark on the sale etc? If so, he is doing the right thing for him and his family in moving on if he has other opportunities.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 10:42:43 AM
I'd sum up Mr Faulkner's departure as politely as possible

'No Great Loss'

That is not to say things will improve with him leaving - as someone already alluded 'Omnishambles'

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Des Little on July 08, 2014, 10:42:48 AM
Give the job to Keane.  He doesn't fuck about.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:43:07 AM
Hasn't it long been speculated that lambert goes straight to Lerner much of the time and PF is completely in the dark on the sale etc? If so, he is doing the right thing for him and his family in moving on if he has other opportunities.

I was thinking about that when I saw this bit:

Quote
Having discussed his re-engaging with the Chairman's broader business while remaining involved with Villa in a non-operational role, agreement could not be reached.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bertlambshank on July 08, 2014, 10:43:14 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.

Why? He does have his own career to think about. He's not duty bound to pledge himself to the club. People move on to different things all the time.
He has been looking after his career from day one.When he got the phone call off Randy I bet he couldn't work out if it was a crank call or not.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 10:43:36 AM
Would I have wanted him to go now? No, I can't see how that is going to be any good for the club. It just looks like another element of uncertainty added to the pot.

That's an excellent point, and the fact that he is stepping down when the club needs him most makes me think even less favourably of him.

Why? He does have his own career to think about. He's not duty bound to pledge himself to the club. People move on to different things all the time.

Of course they do, but as an Aston Villa fan my regard for him is shaped by what he's done for the Football Club. A series of bad decisions, followed by stepping down when the club is in a state of limbo. That, ultimately, was why my opinion of MON soured and why I wont be rushing to wish either of them well in their future pursuits.

Wouldn't you be tempted to move on from your job if your long term future wasn't guaranteed and a chance to further your career came along?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on July 08, 2014, 10:46:44 AM
 as I have occasionally stated in the past, my brother-in-law has met PF regularly on a business level.  His opinion  has always been that he's a very good marketing man, but a poor CE. Good luck to him in his next job - I'm sure a bit of networking on the Copacabana has probably thrown up a few leads.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 10:49:43 AM
Wouldn't you be tempted to move on from your job if your long term future wasn't guaranteed and a chance to further your career came along?

Yeah, you're right and I don't disagree that PF would be silly not to look after his own interests. I'm just approaching this as a Supporter, and how I see his legacy. For me, he's overseen some of the strangest decisions in the club's recent history (the change of strategy from Houllier to McLeish still baffles me) and whether or not these decisions were made above his head, he was still in the chair and seen to be supporting them.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave shelley on July 08, 2014, 10:50:37 AM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended?  Surely the short-term future of the club would have been uppermost in any discussions.  I wonder what has happened to bring about such an about turn?  Smoke and mirrors methinks.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:51:22 AM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended? 

Perhaps he did and they're just announcing it now?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Brend'Watkins on July 08, 2014, 10:53:36 AM
Hasn't it long been speculated that lambert goes straight to Lerner much of the time and PF is completely in the dark on the sale etc? If so, he is doing the right thing for him and his family in moving on if he has other opportunities.

Correct.  PF going will have no detriment to the day to day running of the footballing side of the club with Lambert having a direct line to Lerner. 
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ozzjim on July 08, 2014, 10:54:01 AM
That's the only thing I can't add up Dave unless he did resign then, but waited until after his charity abseil to announce.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave shelley on July 08, 2014, 10:54:45 AM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended? 

Perhaps he did and they're just announcing it now?

Possible.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Dave on July 08, 2014, 10:58:09 AM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended? 

Perhaps he did and they're just announcing it now?

Possible.
Would the time difference between the two be the sort of notice period somebody in that sort of role be expected to give?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Des Little on July 08, 2014, 10:59:27 AM
Takes a brave man to resign from his job and be prepared to wait until they've dangled him from the Holte End roof before announcing it.  I bet he checked his equipment a few times more than usual...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 11:00:17 AM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended? 

Perhaps he did and they're just announcing it now?

Possible.
Would the time difference between the two be the sort of notice period somebody in that sort of role be expected to give?

Maybe he agreed to stay on until the players reported back? Although I don't know why.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 11:01:55 AM
Occam’s Razor;

Faulkner intimated to Randy in New York that he wanted to move on, from the statement it seems that Randy began to offer varying roles in other ventures, none of which Faulkner wanted to go for. You cannot twist in the wind indefinitely, so he handed in his resignation.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ozzjim on July 08, 2014, 11:02:38 AM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended? 

Perhaps he did and they're just announcing it now?

Possible.
Would the time difference between the two be the sort of notice period somebody in that sort of role be expected to give?

I would think 3-6 months would be the likely gap. I certainly think it was known during that meeting, and Lambert came back alone didn't he?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 11:07:31 AM
Was he that bad at his job anyway? Apart from the Mcleish appointment (which probably surprised even Mcleish himself) he's not done that much wrong.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 11:07:54 AM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Omnishambles. Is that French for cluster-fuck...?

I take it you're not a "The Thick of It" fan?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 11:08:03 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 11:13:32 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.

I guess it comes down to how (if at all) accountable he should be for that mess. As many people have said in recent years, the lack of a "football person" has been worrying.

We'll never really know how much influence he had in the big decisions, or how much autonomy he had in terms of signings, players contracts, etc. but the fact remains that whilst he's been employed by the club in a senior executive role during several years of poor performance, on and off the field.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Brend'Watkins on July 08, 2014, 11:17:34 AM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Omnishambles. Is that French for cluster-fuck...?

I take it you're not a "The Thick of It" fan?

Omnishambles is included in the Oxford Dictionary.  I think since 12 months ago or so.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 11:18:08 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



I agree mostly. You could argue that during the past couple of years he's been working under the same financial restraints as Lambert. No-one knocked him when he was arranging deals for Milner, Bent and Young.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: AV82EC on July 08, 2014, 11:21:45 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.

I guess it comes down to how (if at all) accountable he should be for that mess. As many people have said in recent years, the lack of a "football person" has been worrying.

We'll never really know how much influence he had in the big decisions, or how much autonomy he had in terms of signings, players contracts, etc. but the fact remains that whilst he's been employed by the club in a senior executive role during several years of poor performance, on and off the field.

I'd agree on field but off field he's certainly I think moved things forwards, nowhere near as fast as I'd like but I don't think he can be criticised too much for that.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 11:27:40 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



I agree mostly. You could argue that during the past couple of years he's been working under the same financial restraints as Lambert. No-one knocked him when he was arranging deals for Milner, Bent and Young.

Didn't we sign both Milner and Young pre-Faulkner?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 11:30:45 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



Exactly, he got the job just at the point where it was obvious we were going to have to go through a big cutback and restructure of the playing squad, that's the job he was appointed to do and, if Robin Russell was honest on the release of the last accounts, it's a job he's largely completed.

I've said before, all the comments I've seen from the club suggest that Lerner views The CEO and Manager as being on the same level, the latter having full executive control of the playing side and the CEO being responsible for everything else.  Everything they've said in interviews comes across this way.

Things like the ongoing relationship with Acorns, the Carbon Neutral status and the various community initiatives all deserve credit that he won't get because the team have performed poorly.

I've always felt the criticism he gets has been unfair, but I understand why he gets it, so for me I wish him well.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: AV82EC on July 08, 2014, 11:35:22 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



Exactly, he got the job just at the point where it was obvious we were going to have to go through a big cutback and restructure of the playing squad, that's the job he was appointed to do and, if Robin Russell was honest on the release of the last accounts, it's a job he's largely completed.

I've said before, all the comments I've seen from the club suggest that Lerner views The CEO and Manager as being on the same level, the latter having full executive control of the playing side and the CEO being responsible for everything else.  Everything they've said in interviews comes across this way.

Things like the ongoing relationship with Acorns, the Carbon Neutral status and the various community initiatives all deserve credit that he won't get because the team have performed poorly.

I've always felt the criticism he gets has been unfair, but I understand why he gets it, so for me I wish him well.

And for me you've summarised there with one sentence why Lerners project was bound for failure, the lack of executive oversight of the Manager other than the owner.  No major gripes with Faulkner, the club is well run off the pitch, turnover still not good enough, the criticism he can be given is being part of an executive team which has failed miserably with on field matters.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Lee on July 08, 2014, 11:38:44 AM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know. It's obvious that the Chairman is likely to be making decisions like that. Who'd spend hundreds of millions on a club and not even want to decide who the manager was?

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

Hopefully his departure indicates that a deal may be completed at some point before Christmas.

Sorry I disagree, I actually think that he has been very mediocre to say the  least. The Chinese exposure, considering the fortunes of the "EPL" over the last few years, has come very late in the day.

Also "McLeish".
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 11:41:48 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



I agree mostly. You could argue that during the past couple of years he's been working under the same financial restraints as Lambert. No-one knocked him when he was arranging deals for Milner, Bent and Young.

Didn't we sign both Milner and Young pre-Faulkner?

He officially became CEO at the end of the 09-10 season, he was COO for a couple of years before that.

A change that was, in my opinion, purely so he could put more pressure on mon to clear out the overpaid dross in the squad.  I think that small power shift is what led to mon leaving, basically a guy who mon had used as an assistant in the transfer process was suddenly promoted above him meaning the rules changed.

That's purely speculation on my part but the timings all seemed to fit it being a breakdown of the relationships following the boardroom changes.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 11:43:17 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



I agree mostly. You could argue that during the past couple of years he's been working under the same financial restraints as Lambert. No-one knocked him when he was arranging deals for Milner, Bent and Young.

Didn't we sign both Milner and Young pre-Faulkner?

Yes - pre him being CEO.

And the club no choice but to sign Bent or someone of his ilk as we were deep in relegation mire and the majority of the 1st team squad had been alienated
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: London Villan on July 08, 2014, 11:43:43 AM
Off the pitch - good
On the pitch - some of the most baffling decisions in the history of the club

It does point to clearing the decks before a takeover... along with Keane's part-time role. What other club would allow the manager's assistant - who probably has more day-to-day contact with the players - to not be full time...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 11:45:11 AM
He officially became CEO at the end of the 09-10 season, he was COO for a couple of years before that.

A change that was, in my opinion, purely so he could put more pressure on mon to clear out the overpaid dross in the squad.  I think that small power shift is what led to mon leaving, basically a guy who mon had used as an assistant in the transfer process was suddenly promoted above him meaning the rules changed.

That's purely speculation on my part but the timings all seemed to fit it being a breakdown of the relationships following the boardroom changes.

I'd forgotten that Faulkner was there as COO initially to be honest. I just remember there being a period without us having a CEO for a while, after Richard FitzGerland left.

I guess a lot of this is down to speculation. It's difficult to attribute praise or criticism without really knowing the full role that he had to play in each deal, be it commercial or footballing.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 11:46:46 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



I agree mostly. You could argue that during the past couple of years he's been working under the same financial restraints as Lambert. No-one knocked him when he was arranging deals for Milner, Bent and Young.

Didn't we sign both Milner and Young pre-Faulkner?

Yes - pre him being CEO.

And the club no choice but to sign Bent or someone of his ilk as we were deep in relegation mire and the majority of the 1st team squad had been alienated

That's not true. The Bent deal was worked on as soon as Houiller became manager. He probably would have come in whether or not we'd been struggling.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 11:54:44 AM
Goodluck to him. He often seemed to be scape goat of sorts but he was just doing the jobs asked of him. It can't have been easy working in his capacity at this club for the last couple of years particularly. It's been a mess.



I agree mostly. You could argue that during the past couple of years he's been working under the same financial restraints as Lambert. No-one knocked him when he was arranging deals for Milner, Bent and Young.

Didn't we sign both Milner and Young pre-Faulkner?

Yes - pre him being CEO.

And the club no choice but to sign Bent or someone of his ilk as we were deep in relegation mire and the majority of the 1st team squad had been alienated

That's not true. The Bent deal was worked on as soon as Houiller became manager. He probably would have come in whether or not we'd been struggling.

Maybe he would have, a bit of supposition on you part but thank fuck he did. Just a shame he didn'tjoin at the start of January if the deal was being worked on in September..
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 11:56:35 AM
Off the pitch - good
On the pitch - some of the most baffling decisions in the history of the club

It does point to clearing the decks before a takeover... along with Keane's part-time role. What other club would allow the manager's assistant - who probably has more day-to-day contact with the players - to not be full time...

The top bit is exactly how I view the club for the last 4 years and as I've said I genuinely don't think Faulkner has anything like the control over the playing side you'd expect from someone in his position.

I reckon if you gave him and Lambert the roles of commercial director and sporting director it would be a more accurate reflection of our structure.  I might well be wrong and I certainly don't claim to know this as fact but if you look at comments made both Lambert, Faulkner and Lerner in the last 2 years you see a definite pattern of Lambert reporting directly to Lerner and Faulkner being left to get on with the commercial aspects.  An effort he'd have been limited in by the poor results on the field.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Gareth on July 08, 2014, 12:11:16 PM
This explains why we have not heard a word from him since the 'For Sale' sign went up.....thought it was odd that he hadn't been spouting the business as usual mantra.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: SashasGrandad on July 08, 2014, 12:15:48 PM
I think it is wrong for many on here to blame PF for what happens on the pitch.

He has done an excellent job in my view behind the scenes, considering how poor the team has been in recent years, he has done well to keep getting sponsorship etc.

He will have no problem getting another job.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: The Adventurer on July 08, 2014, 12:16:20 PM
Good riddance. One down only a few more to go!  8)
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 12:19:46 PM
Once he finished his GCSEs he was always going to move on.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 12:22:47 PM
I don't think there should be any surprise between the timing of the two major incidents this week. Faulkner and Randy have a close relationship and I don't believe for a second that Faulkner would have pulled his chute one day after Randy's statement without there being any prior conversation.

There will always be admin staff to complete the paperwork. While we have a vacancy in that department I'm sure someone else can step in albeit temporarily and fill the key functions ahead of a new ownership group arriving. Lambert has also suggested a couple of players in after the WC so that is another week or so away so there is time to firm up deals and I cannot believe that any of those would be jeopardized just because we don't have a CEO.

For me this is just one more indication of a deal being a step closer. Randy suggested that talks have been productive so we may not be too far away now.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeS on July 08, 2014, 12:25:44 PM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended? 

Perhaps he did and they're just announcing it now?

If only that prankster who phoned the restaurant had asked the right question...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Holte L2 on July 08, 2014, 12:25:52 PM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know. It's obvious that the Chairman is likely to be making decisions like that. Who'd spend hundreds of millions on a club and not even want to decide who the manager was?

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

Hopefully his departure indicates that a deal may be completed at some point before Christmas.

Randy made it clear at the time, that Paul's task was to recruit new mangers when appointing TSM.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 12:26:05 PM
I'd agree (TV) re a deal being closer, but only if Lerner hadn't said yesterday that there wasn't an imminent deal.

I also think replacing CEO role now will be about more than people doing admin. We complained for ages that we didn't have people with football experience running things (with relation to Faulkner). At least he'll have got some experience over the last few years. Now he's gone and we wouldn't be able to appoint a CEO if we tried, so Robin Russell is stepping in.

Apparently he's a financial genius but less of a football person than Faulkner.

That's what I don't get. I understand the arguments that Faulkner should go / has been party to some awful management, all that, yes, but I can't see how him leaving now is anything but a negative for us.

It just contributes to that sense of drifting neglect.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 12:34:30 PM
Paulie, imminent could mean that it won't happen next week. Remember the time between Randy being first suggested and then taking over was very short. Faulkner will likely have had people that reported to him that have learnt the ropes. Or at least have the ability if not the outright experience to get the main things done on that position. I just cannot see the two incidents being exclusive of one another. Randy statement was supportive of the club and it's intentions ahead of the season. For me he's engaged while things are moving along with the sale.

Like all of this, nothing is perfect. We're for sale after all and it is July. But that said if the club is sold in August, and a new manger installed (should that be the situation) in late July then it would be the same as what happened when Randy took over in 2006 and we did ok in the end.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 12:38:27 PM
Once he finished his GCSEs he was always going to move on.

Yeah, nobody under the age of fifty should be allowed to have a decent job.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 12:43:54 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: The Villa Werewolf on July 08, 2014, 12:45:56 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.

That's assuming the Delph page is real.

Which I strongly doubt.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: kippaxvilla2 on July 08, 2014, 12:47:05 PM
Robin Russell, who had been chief financial officer at Villa Park, will becoming acting chief executive.

Faulkner said: "Villa is best in class in so many ways off the field. I only hope success on the pitch follows."

Villa chairman Lerner put the club up for sale in May but is yet to find a buyer.


Maybe I am reading too much into this but, is there a barbed tone in the last bit of his statement.  In other words he doesn't want to be associated any longer with penny pinching in the market....maybe nothing but.....

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on July 08, 2014, 12:47:51 PM
I've got a few GCSE's and read a Roy of the Rovers annual once so I think I'm eminently well qualified for the role. Plus I actually support the club too, so that seals it.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 12:49:25 PM
I think you are reading too much into it. I think a lot of good things have happened off the pitch. I also genuinely believe he is disappointed to have to not seen that translate to our football results and hopes that it does.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 12:49:41 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.

That's assuming the Delph page is real.

Which I strongly doubt.

I'm fairly sure it's him. He's constantly putting videos of himself up. If it's not him, it's someone with access to that kind of stuff.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pbavfckuwait on July 08, 2014, 12:51:00 PM
What time tomorrow for the statement from Lambert, cant work like this anymore bye bye folks I'm off. Roy turn the lights off on the way out.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 12:52:43 PM
I'd agree (TV) re a deal being closer, but only if Lerner hadn't said yesterday that there wasn't an imminent deal.

I also think replacing CEO role now will be about more than people doing admin. We complained for ages that we didn't have people with football experience running things (with relation to Faulkner). At least he'll have got some experience over the last few years. Now he's gone and we wouldn't be able to appoint a CEO if we tried, so Robin Russell is stepping in.

Apparently he's a financial genius but less of a football person than Faulkner.

That's what I don't get. I understand the arguments that Faulkner should go / has been party to some awful management, all that, yes, but I can't see how him leaving now is anything but a negative for us.

It just contributes to that sense of drifting neglect.

He never actually said that.  The more I read the statement from yesterday the clearer it becomes.

If you break it down it basically says "we're still up for sale but I made a promise to not leave PL hanging if things took a while, this statement is my public commitment to that promise."

It's almost like he's marking off an entry on a 'don't get done for constructive dismissal' tick sheet.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 12:54:45 PM
Surely part of his remit as CEO (I would have thought) would have been a level of involvement in finding a buyer.

Therefore if we take that to its' logical conclusion the sale of the club should be fairly close or at least proposed sale pending the shambolic fit and proper persons test.

Obviously the use of the word 'logical' in association with Villa over the last 4-5 yearsis somewhat of an oxymoron.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ron Manager on July 08, 2014, 12:57:17 PM
I do hope this means something is about to happen in the near future. I do hope Randy has his finger on the button and doesn't let things drift.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Holte Sweet on July 08, 2014, 01:00:53 PM
What I believe todays news means is that new ownership is a lot more imenent that many believe.
They will have their own CEO already identified and Faulkner went when faced with the inevitable.

Delphs comjents indicate the same thing. No deals can be sanctioned by the old regime , Faulkner going brings things a step nearer.

I suspect it us a haggle over price at the moment that is holding things up.

Takeover deals worth billions regularly take place in the broader financial world the sale of a football club worth a few hundred million is relatively small beer and is by those standards will be concluded a lot quicker than many fear.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mattjpa on July 08, 2014, 01:03:33 PM
Jeez, whats with all the defending of this bloke? he has overseen one of the worst periods in our recent history. If it wasnt his doing then more fool him, he was the CEO of a multi million pound company and if this hasnt been his doing then he is as much to blame as anyone. I have no faith in him, goodbye and thanks Paul, shut the door on your way out.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 01:05:57 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.

That's assuming the Delph page is real.

Which I strongly doubt.

Dear oh dear.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Tuscans on July 08, 2014, 01:09:23 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.
Delphs old school, he would'nt use Facebook...he's more a Faceparty user.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Mister E on July 08, 2014, 01:10:52 PM
I see this as a positive. The guy was clueless and out of his depth. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out.
?
Really? - can we honestly know what he did behind the scenes?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 01:11:05 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.
Delphs old school, he would'nt use Facebook...he's more a Faceparty user.

The bloke is all over Friendster, too.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Mister E on July 08, 2014, 01:14:12 PM
What I believe todays news means is that new ownership is a lot more imenent that many believe.
They will have their own CEO already identified and Faulkner went when faced with the inevitable.

Delphs comjents indicate the same thing. No deals can be sanctioned by the old regime , Faulkner going brings things a step nearer.

I suspect it us a haggle over price at the moment that is holding things up.

Takeover deals worth billions regularly take place in the broader financial world the sale of a football club worth a few hundred million is relatively small beer and is by those standards will be concluded a lot quicker than many fear.
This is how I read it.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Richard E on July 08, 2014, 01:15:49 PM
So when does Cortese arrive then?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 01:16:27 PM
Which facebook page is it suppose to be? The only official looking one has got a black and white photo of him in training and there's no posts on there from him, just people saying thank you being added.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 01:18:39 PM
Maybe his son has something to do with it?

I know nothing on either subject, but being a CEO of a club our size must be pretty time consuming and stressful. Add to that you have a disabled child who requires a lot of care and attention, perhaps he is just re-focussing on something far more important and wants a job that will give him more time to do the things that need to be done? 
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: The Laughing Policeman on July 08, 2014, 01:18:54 PM
Jeez, whats with all the defending of this bloke? he has overseen one of the worst periods in our recent history. If it wasnt his doing then more fool him, he was the CEO of a multi million pound company and if this hasnt been his doing then he is as much to blame as anyone. I have no faith in him, goodbye and thanks Paul, shut the door on your way out.
So, if none of what has happened in the last few years wasn't his doing it's still his fault?
I doubt your logic Mr.Spock.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 01:20:15 PM
Jeez, whats with all the defending of this bloke? he has overseen one of the worst periods in our recent history. If it wasnt his doing then more fool him, he was the CEO of a multi million pound company and if this hasnt been his doing then he is as much to blame as anyone. I have no faith in him, goodbye and thanks Paul, shut the door on your way out.
He was part of a bad set up, but it all stems from Randy. He sets the agenda, he runs the ship. Faulkner is nowt more than a hired hand. I'm not sure how much blame can really be attributed to him for what happens on the pitch. That boils down the mess Randy made, and the mess Lambert's been making on the pitch. I see Faulkner as a glorified carrier pigeon and certainly not master of the Aston Villa downfall.

I just think in the end what we desperately need now is fresh ownership with someone a bit more savvy toward running a football club, who can hire the appropriate people, and have some sort of footballing nous on the board.

No one here's going to be particularly sad seeing Faulkner go. At the same time I'm not sure his leaving warrants dancing in the street.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 01:21:32 PM
Faulkner won't have just randomly quit, this must have been on the cards for a while.

I notice that his abseiling off the roof of the Holte happened on Sunday. Maybe part of the reason he didn't want the news to leak till after then in case it deflected from the good cause?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 01:21:49 PM
Maybe his son has something to do with it?

I know nothing on either subject, but being a CEO of a club our size must be pretty time consuming and stressful. Add to that you have a disabled child who requires a lot of care and attention, perhaps he is just re-focussing on something far more important and wants a job that will give him more time to do the things that need to be done? 

I'm sure there are easier jobs he can do in his line of work without having to deal with the constant politics of a football club, particularly one stuck in a transitional limbo at the moment.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 01:22:59 PM
Faulkner won't have just randomly quit, this must have been on the cards for a while.

I notice that his abseiling off the roof of the Holte happened on Sunday. Maybe part of the reason he didn't want the news to leak till after then in case it deflected from the good cause?
That's a good point. Did that still happen on sunday? I didn't notice anything about it on the official site, and unless I've missed it no one has reported on it on these boards. Hopefully it went well.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 01:24:30 PM
Strange coming a day after Keane starts work.

I reckon they all went for an after-work pint somewhere, during which, Faulkner made the fundamental error of disrespecting Keane's pint, or maybe got the crisp order all wrong at the bar.

Faulkner got all flustered about it, Keane wheeled out this look:

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BGxA792CAAEaa7N.png)

Faulkner decided he couldn't work with someone he was terrified of.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 01:32:37 PM
Strange coming a day after Keane starts work.

I reckon they all went for an after-work pint somewhere, during which, Faulkner made the fundamental error of disrespecting Keane's pint, or maybe got the crisp order all wrong at the bar.

Faulkner got all flustered about it, Keane wheeled out this look:

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BGxA792CAAEaa7N.png)

Faulkner decided he couldn't work with someone he was terrified of.

I think you've overcomplicated things. I hear he got pork scratchings and not Salt and Vinegar Hula Hoops. And everyone knows Keane only eats scratchings on a Thursday and before 7pm.

He got the look and now he's gone.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Tuscans on July 08, 2014, 01:37:40 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.
Delphs old school, he would'nt use Facebook...he's more a Faceparty user.

The bloke is all over Friendster, too.
You're way ahead of me, I didn't even have the net then.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: The Villa Werewolf on July 08, 2014, 01:39:43 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.

That's assuming the Delph page is real.

Which I strongly doubt.

I'm fairly sure it's him. He's constantly putting videos of himself up. If it's not him, it's someone with access to that kind of stuff.

They're simply lifted from this personal trainer's Instagram account:
http://instagram.com/jamie_velocity (http://instagram.com/jamie_velocity)

Dear oh dear.

What?!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 01:40:03 PM
Keane is definitely a pork scratching man. Maybe he wasn't overly impressed with Faulkner nibbling away on Quavers and said so.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 01:40:41 PM
I reckon what happened is, Roy Keane walked into the Villa and said "I'm having this feckin office ere!" It happened to be Faulkners. Faulkner then confronted Roy, only to be greeted with the following stare:
(http://cdn1.independent.ie/incoming/article30298867.ece/93a0c/ALTERNATES/h342/Keane1.jpg)

The resultant emptying of Faulkners bowels and subsequent embarrassment, combined with the fear of further Keano intimidation has left him no choice but to leave.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 01:41:51 PM
Keane is definitely a pork scratching man. Maybe he wasn't overly impressed with Faulkner nibbling away on Quavers and said so.
Unquestionably true. I would add that Faulkner probably enjoys the occasional packet of skips too.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 01:43:20 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.

That's assuming the Delph page is real.

Which I strongly doubt.

I'm fairly sure it's him. He's constantly putting videos of himself up. If it's not him, it's someone with access to that kind of stuff.

They're simply lifted from this personal trainer's Instagram account:
http://instagram.com/jamie_velocity (http://instagram.com/jamie_velocity)

Dear oh dear.

What?!

Dear oh dear, if the facebook update is really him, then that's disappointing.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 01:50:29 PM
Which facebook page is it suppose to be? The only official looking one has got a black and white photo of him in training and there's no posts on there from him, just people saying thank you being added.

That's the one Clampy. Keep scrolling down and you'll see his own status updates, some from today. It all looks real to me, but I could be being gullible! Certainly it seems fairly pointless to set up a fake account just to post what are (usually) very mundane updates.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 01:54:45 PM
Which facebook page is it suppose to be? The only official looking one has got a black and white photo of him in training and there's no posts on there from him, just people saying thank you being added.

That's the one Clampy. Keep scrolling down and you'll see his own status updates, some from today. It all looks real to me, but I could be being gullible! Certainly it seems fairly pointless to set up a fake account just to post what are (usually) very mundane updates.

I can't see any updates on there from him.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: john e on July 08, 2014, 01:55:55 PM
After reading the thread I can't make my mind up if he's done a good or bad job, I find myself agreeing with everyone especially if they put a good case forward whether positive or negative

I do know one thing though, and that is i rock in my old armchair and laugh my bollocks off every time I read that ' he's not a football man' nonsense' that's trotted out every time Faulkener is discussed
Unless your an ex player no one starts out a 'football man' you become one through experience working within football, how long does it take to lose the tag, how any years ?

Is Richard Branson a plane or train man I wonder,
Faulkener might well have made mistakes through lack of experience chiefly the Mcliesh one, but he's not the only one, doug made a few and he was mr Aston Villa don't you know, a proper football man

What made David Dean a football man ?
Probably a load of years doing the job, well Faulkener has a few under his belt now, not saying he is any good at the job like I say I don't know how I judge him, but to keep warbling on about how he doesn't understandy football is jumping on the band wagon of say it enough times and it becomes a fact

He probably has a good understanding by now of the workings of a football club and of football people to be accepted as one of them, whether his judgments and decisions are good ones is another matter entirely
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ger Regan on July 08, 2014, 02:01:42 PM
Hmm, the only thing making me think it is him is that he's been tagged in posts by the official villa page. Can't see any of his statuses though, only others thanking him for the add and some profile picture updates.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 02:06:57 PM
Which facebook page is it suppose to be? The only official looking one has got a black and white photo of him in training and there's no posts on there from him, just people saying thank you being added.

That's the one Clampy. Keep scrolling down and you'll see his own status updates, some from today. It all looks real to me, but I could be being gullible! Certainly it seems fairly pointless to set up a fake account just to post what are (usually) very mundane updates.

I can't see any updates on there from him.

There definitely are. maybe you need to be friends with him to view them.

That said, I'm becoming more sceptical. He got everyone's hopes up last night with his "Good news coming soon" status, knowing that people would assume it was referencing a new contract.

Then again, he obviously had insight to something happening today. Ger - i think anyone can be tagged into those AVFC statuses by anyone else, so i wouldn't read too much into that.

As I said earlier, the whole thing is just bizarre.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: supertom on July 08, 2014, 02:10:30 PM
Hmm, the only thing making me think it is him is that he's been tagged in posts by the official villa page. Can't see any of his statuses though, only others thanking him for the add and some profile picture updates.
From his actual posts there's nothing that seems iffy and it all seems quite genuine. If it's not him, it's someone close to him posting on his behalf, but I think it's genuine.
Normally on a fake account posts will sometimes start getting progressively sillier as the culprit behind it gets bored keeping up the ruse of normality.

He did post a day or two ago that news was coming, and then we had the announcement today. Could have been a co-incidence but you never know.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 02:17:14 PM
I hope that Delph account isn't genuine.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 08, 2014, 02:26:04 PM
After reading the thread I can't make my mind up if he's done a good or bad job, I find myself agreeing with everyone especially if they put a good case forward whether positive or negative

I do know one thing though, and that is i rock in my old armchair and laugh my bollocks off every time I read that ' he's not a football man' nonsense' that's trotted out every time Faulkener is discussed
Unless your an ex player no one starts out a 'football man' you become one through experience working within football, how long does it take to lose the tag, how any years ?

You make a good point, and I suppose you're right in that the only difference between David Dein and Paul Faulkner, in that sense, was the one made good footballing decision, and is therefore deemed to be "a football man" and the other didn't so isn't.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: frankmosswasmyuncle on July 08, 2014, 02:45:52 PM
His comments about things off the field being class seem to be a combination of patting himself (and all the staff involved!) on the back for doing that stuff and a nudge in the direction that on-field issues had very little to do with him and, if they'd been better, his job would have been a bit easier and the club would have been in a better position overall.
When I was helping amfy with the safe-standing stuff he was 100% behind the whole thing and indeed had raised it at the PL CEO's meeting about 3 seasons ago - a pretty brave move for a new boy. Other clubs have since become involved in what was an initiative in the interests of supporters and it was being led in the Prem by Aston Villa. I'm quite proud of him/the club for doing that. Through the safe-standing move I met him twice - he always came across as incredibly supportive, appreciative of what we were doing and prepared to stand up for the cause and shout loudly in favour of it.
IMHO his leaving may well be an indication of an imminent takover but  for me tinged with a little sadness as I thought he was doing a good job with off the field activities.
As john e points out, he's now a much more experienced "football man" than when he joined us. The timing of his announcement is therefore the thing that worries me - more shit for the club to deal with, heaped on top of the massive load we already have. He obviously feels he cannot continue with what RL wants him to do.
I wish him well in the circumstances.
 
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 02:48:49 PM
Once he finished his GCSEs he was always going to move on.

Yeah, nobody under the age of fifty should be allowed to have a decent job.
Which of course is *exactly* what I meant.  Good grief.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 03:00:45 PM
People bang on about the best kit deal, the best sponsorship deal. In a time when the PL is at an all time high in terms of TV deals and global exposure. Literally every current PL club can boast they've done the same. I can see very little Faulkner has brought to the club other than 3-4 years of absolute madness, lack of direction, leadership any form of plan or strategy and a series of bungled appointments which has all resulted in 3 years of relegation battles, internal bullying at a high level, senior players ostracised and then reintegrated etc etc. absolute joke.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Steve R on July 08, 2014, 03:41:00 PM
Surely if a deal was 'imminent' Faulkner would have stayed to see it out - unless there is a job offer elswhere that couldn't wait.

It all has a 'sod this for a game of soldiers' air to it to me. Maybe Faulkner wanted some serious position elsewhere in Lermer's empire post sale and Lerner wasn't exactly rolling out the red carpet with chief bottlewasher offers.

It's quite feasible that this process could take place over a number of weeks. I do doubt that Lerner received the resignation yesterday. There were probably all manner of contractual issues to resolve if nothing else.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 03:50:30 PM
People bang on about the best kit deal, the best sponsorship deal. In a time when the PL is at an all time high in terms of TV deals and global exposure. Literally every current PL club can boast they've done the same. I can see very little Faulkner has brought to the club other than 3-4 years of absolute madness, lack of direction, leadership any form of plan or strategy and a series of bungled appointments which has all resulted in 3 years of relegation battles, internal bullying at a high level, senior players ostracised and then reintegrated etc etc. absolute joke.

Have to agree with a good deal of your post

Increasing income etc.. should be an absolute minimum requirement based on the popularlity of EPL.

Our total income is below West Ham's. Not something to shout about bearing in mind the shit we have thrown at their owners and CEO over the years.

As for the onfield stuff - the Houllier appointment was stupid. It looked like it was made by someone who started watching football in the early 00's.

The McLeish appointment utterly woeful, abysmal beyond belief. Most of us knew it would end badly and as I have stated before it screamed to me that Villa had become SMALL TIME.

The funniest thing was MON was told to get the wages under control and the wage bill has hardly moved with fewer players in the 4 years after his departure.


Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 03:53:32 PM
Hasn't Faulkner recently started a new role with the FA?  Could it be that Lerner couldn't give him any assurances of a new position that would allow him to continue with that role and after a few weeks of trying to work something out they've agreed to a parting of ways now rather than have another management issue hanging around as a distraction, after the C&K thing and the sale announcement I guess they wanted to keep this as tidy as possible.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 03:56:39 PM
Hasn't Faulkner recently started a new role with the FA?  Could it be that Lerner couldn't give him any assurances of a new position that would allow him to continue with that role and after a few weeks of trying to work something out they've agreed to a parting of ways now rather than have another management issue hanging around as a distraction, after the C&K thing and the sale announcement I guess they wanted to keep this as tidy as possible.

Yes he feathered his own nest with FA in preparation for this.

I doubt any new owner, assuming they have a modicum of footballing knowledge, in their right mind would want to continue to employ him.



Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ads on July 08, 2014, 04:09:45 PM
Didn't Lerner fly out to Corsica to meet McLeish and seal the deal?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 08, 2014, 04:27:13 PM
Didn't Lerner fly out to Corsica to meet McLeish and seal the deal?

Indeed he did. I think a series of botched attempts - Bentiez who needs about £75m to get warmed up, Martinez (oh woe) turning us down and McLaren being turned down meant the panic button was pushed. I think Faulkner was heavily involved.

Lerner obviosuly felt he had to strike whilst the iron was hot before we lost McLeish to some other comparable 'medium- big' club. Maybe Leverkusen, Roma, Sevilla, PSV were all in the running to secure McLeish's services. Somehow doubt it.

The fact that if McLeish appeared on any 'long' list would have been cause for concern, the fact he made his was on a short list was astonishing and what followed....

Any CEO with a modicum of footballing credibility should have been able to block the suicidal appointment.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on July 08, 2014, 04:34:55 PM
This is bizarre; 2 more Facebook updates from Delph in the last hour. Firstly;

"The news has been revealed, fresh start?"

Followed by,

"Villa fans, I can't sign a contract if I haven't been offered one, hopefully now this means I can put pen to paper."

He's obviously insinuating that it was Faulkner not offering him a new contract....!! utterly, utterly bizarre.

That's assuming the Delph page is real.

Which I strongly doubt.

I'm fairly sure it's him. He's constantly putting videos of himself up. If it's not him, it's someone with access to that kind of stuff.

They're simply lifted from this personal trainer's Instagram account:
http://instagram.com/jamie_velocity (http://instagram.com/jamie_velocity)

Dear oh dear.

What?!

Dear oh dear, if the facebook update is really him, then that's disappointing.

Both his Facebook accounts are fake.

Check out the names tagged on his official Villa images. Some people have way too much time.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: AV82EC on July 08, 2014, 04:38:39 PM
Hasn't Faulkner recently started a new role with the FA?  Could it be that Lerner couldn't give him any assurances of a new position that would allow him to continue with that role and after a few weeks of trying to work something out they've agreed to a parting of ways now rather than have another management issue hanging around as a distraction, after the C&K thing and the sale announcement I guess they wanted to keep this as tidy as possible.

Yes he feathered his own nest with FA in preparation for this.

I doubt any new owner, assuming they have a modicum of footballing knowledge, in their right mind would want to continue to employ him.

According to Kendricks Mail article, he'll immediately lose his FA roles unless he gets another job in Football.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 04:38:44 PM
I have always found Delph to be the most honest and humble of almost any footballer you hear speaking. I think he feels a debt of loyalty to the club and comes across that way. It doesn't guarantee anything off course but at the same time I don't think he'd be airing his laundry in public. I think he has more respect for the club than to do that.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: olaftab on July 08, 2014, 04:42:06 PM
I see this as a positive. The guy was clueless and out of his depth. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out.
This is not a fair comment but you are entitled to make it I guess.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeB on July 08, 2014, 04:53:14 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: kippaxvilla2 on July 08, 2014, 04:53:17 PM
Surely if a deal was 'imminent' Faulkner would have stayed to see it out - unless there is a job offer elswhere that couldn't wait.

It all has a 'sod this for a game of soldiers' air to it to me. Maybe Faulkner wanted some serious position elsewhere in Lermer's empire post sale and Lerner wasn't exactly rolling out the red carpet with chief bottlewasher offers.

It's quite feasible that this process could take place over a number of weeks. I do doubt that Lerner received the resignation yesterday. There were probably all manner of contractual issues to resolve if nothing else.

Isn't it quite common for CEO's to have 12 month notice periods? 
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 04:56:06 PM
I see this as a positive. The guy was clueless and out of his depth. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out.
This is not a fair comment but you are entitled to make it I guess.
I don't know that it is unfair.  Admittedly I don't know exactly what Lerner tasked Faulkner to do so I can't say how successful he was but a well-run club would see a proper balance between a sound financial base, good investment in the playing staff and, as a consequence of those, reasonable performance on the pitch.

Put it this way, it would be relatively straightforward to cut costs and make savings if performance on the pitch wasn't a priority.  All you'd do is get rid of your big earners, sell your assets and replace them with cheaper alternatives.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cheltenhamlion on July 08, 2014, 04:59:09 PM
Paul F doesn't have a job with the FA. He is on a couple of committees. Just like Doug was.

Perhaps he has just had enough. Of hearing how everything is his fault when he turns on the radio. Of opening his emails each day to a barrel load of abuse.

Perhaps he wants to spend more time with his lad and wants a less high profile, time consuming role.

Perhaps a takeover is round the corner and he has been offered something that would be foolish to turn down.

Perhaps there has been a breakdown in his relationship with Randy about the grief he is getting where he believes that it would be better aimed at the owner.

Who knows the reason. What I would guess at is that this has been in the pipeline for a little while. He didn't turn up this morning with a hastily scribbled resignation post it note.

What worries me more is why now? It is either good because the sale is close or we are utterly rudderless and sat in a state of paralysis.

What worries me more is Robin Russell who is just a bean counter being the only board member liable to be this side of the Atlantic this summer.

If I was Randy I would be placing an emergency call to Steve Stride right about now to see if he will help out until the sale goes through.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 05:16:13 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.

You have to wonder what the world would have looked like had the internet existed in the mid 80's. Not dismissing the merits of Stride but you'd think he is the answer we are all craving from some people's posts. Like you said he's never given any grief considering we went down.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 05:17:05 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.
Ha ha behave , stride took a lot of stick more about him being Dougs bitch or "bag carrier". Doug was soooo hands on in terms of the running and decision making that's why SS didn't get direct flack for the decisions.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 05:25:47 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.

You have to wonder what the world would have looked like had the internet existed in the mid 80's. Not dismissing the merits of Stride but you'd think he is the answer we are all craving from some people's posts. Like you said he's never given any grief considering we went down.
If Stride deserved flak for us going down then surely Faulkner also deserves some for us being in relegation scraps for the last two or three seasons?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 05:28:38 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.

You have to wonder what the world would have looked like had the internet existed in the mid 80's. Not dismissing the merits of Stride but you'd think he is the answer we are all craving from some people's posts. Like you said he's never given any grief considering we went down.
If Stride deserved flak for us going down then surely Faulkner also deserves some for us being in relegation scraps for the last two or three seasons?

Stride's position was different, too. He was "football secretary" for most of his time, he only joined the board in the mid 90s.

Doug played the role of Chief Executive himself in that time, whereas Faulkner is doing it himself at the behest of an absent owner.

I think to lay the blame for relegation at Stride's door is somewhat harsh.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: curiousorange on July 08, 2014, 05:29:57 PM
I have no real idea what a CEO does, so have no idea whether or not Faulkner did the job well or not. All I can suppose is that he took the role on after the Lord Mayor's Show, as it were, and probably in the circumstances did it as well as could be expected.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 05:33:40 PM
I have no real idea what a CEO does, so have no idea whether or not Faulkner did the job well or not. All I can suppose is that he took the role on after the Lord Mayor's Show, as it were, and probably in the circumstances did it as well as could be expected.
The CEO certainly shouldn't be organ grinders monkey.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: curiousorange on July 08, 2014, 05:47:16 PM
I have no real idea what a CEO does, so have no idea whether or not Faulkner did the job well or not. All I can suppose is that he took the role on after the Lord Mayor's Show, as it were, and probably in the circumstances did it as well as could be expected.
The CEO certainly shouldn't be organ grinders monkey.

But if you owned something, wouldn't anything you spent on it ultimately be your decision? Like I said, it's not something I've ever had to consider, but in my view a CEO would be a de facto head of something making the decisions on a day-to-day basis, under the direction of an owner.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 08, 2014, 05:47:55 PM
Good news from my perspective. Nice bloke but for me always too focused on the window dressing or his personal projects rather than the actual meat of the job.

Interesting it coming the day after Randy's statement in which he did not allude to this at all.

Anyway, good luck Paul F. I am sure he will find a new job that suits his skill set, which I think is good, just not suited to running this club.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: adrenachrome on July 08, 2014, 05:49:48 PM
Birmigham Mail (http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/aston-villa-comment-mat-kendrick-7390672)

Quote
Mat Kendrick comment: Paul Faulkner departure leaves Aston Villa rudderless

Aston Villa comment: Mat Kendrick believes Paul Faulkner's departure leaves Villa even more rudderless than before

“A few people have requested that I do this abseil from the Holte End without a rope,” quipped Paul Faulkner, well aware of his reputation as a pantomime villain rather than a Proper Villan, ahead of his charity descent last weekend.

In fact, Faulkner will not be hanging around at Aston Villa Football Club much longer at all. The news he is to leave his chief executive role in the very near future is a shock.

Not so much that Faulkner is departing, more the timing of his departure, and that he is exiting the club while the Randy Lerner era stumbles on.

He was widely expected to go when Lerner passed control of the club to a new owner some time whenever, but with a takeover still way off – according to the chairman’s latest vague update – this development signifies a surprise yet significant breakdown in the relationship between them.

The pair had previously been very close, with 52-year-old Lerner almost treating 36-year-old Faulkner as a younger sibling as well as a trusted ally.

In return Faulkner acted as the eyes and ears of the absent owner at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath, remaining fiercely loyal to his boss even when there were dubious decisions he did not agree with – and there were several – and trying desperately to front a directionless club, with the big boss thousands of miles away.

Of the statement issued to announce Faulkner’s impending exit, the third sentence was most intriguiging: “Having discussed his re-engaging with the chairman’s broader business while remaining involved with Villa in a non-operational role, agreement could not be reached.”

My sense all along was that when Lerner did eventually get bored and want out of Villa – and it is safe to assume that has been the case for at least two years – then Faulkner, who first came to the American’s attention as the upwardly mobile golden boy of his former MBNA UK operation in Chester, would be moved to another arm of the Lerner empire with a golden handshake.

It transpires that Faulkner, who has enjoyed his formative years as a football administrator despite the hassles of being involved in Villa’s grim fall from grace, wanted to retain a football role, but a dual role was not forthcoming (maybe he should have gone to Roy Keane for jobshare advice...).

Where this leaves Villa is more rudderless in the boardroom than before and with manager Paul Lambert developing a stronger powerbase, despite just a year remaining on his contract and the worst record of any of the club’s previous Premier League managers.

Robin Russell, the club’s chief finance officer, is stepping into Faulkner’s role. It must only be an interim appointment, regardless of whether a buyer can be found for a great club drifting from the ridiculous to the even more ridiculous.

Villa need an experienced administrator, and if he is of a claret and blue persuasion, even better.

Again, this is complicated by Villa’s up-for-sale status. Whether Lerner is here for the next week, month or year, it will be hard to attract a top candidate with the club in such a state of flux.

Russell is a whizz with figures and a charming chap, but has no real interest in football and wouldn’t know a 4-4-2 from a 4-3-3, giving Lambert and Keane, for the time being at least, the kind of clout Martin O’Neill boasted before his acrimonious departure in August 2010.

It was around that time – three months earlier, in actual fact – that Faulkner was handed the role of chief executive. He had played a part behind the scenes from the very start of Lerner’s associations with Villa. Faulkner suggested Villa as a business ripe for Lerner’s investment after being tasked with studying available Premier League clubs – and the Cambridge graduate also assisted throughout the 2006 takeover process and the early days of the current regime eight years ago.

Back then Villa were getting through chief executives like Lambert gets through left-backs. Club stalwart Steve Stride was discarded far too quickly, and subsequently Richard Fitzgerald and Michael Cunnah followed him out of the door, with O’Neill essentially performing elements of that role himself during his authoritarian reign.

Having spent two years as Villa’s chief operating officer Faulkner took over as CEO in May 2010 and, as I have observed before, Lerner’s lieutenant has been forced to learn on the job from his mistakes rather than from an established expert football administrator.

A boyhood Norwich fan (although Lambert, David McNally, Wes Hoolahan, Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa have tested those age-old allegiances) Faulkner is passionate about football  and his drive to start the debate to return safe-standing to Villa Park hinted he was more than capable of cutting through the corporate to ‘get’ the claret and blue faithful and their traditions.

The case remains, however, that the matchday experience in B6 is great – apart from the match. Villa’s trophy cabinet is deservedly buckling under the weight of hospitality awards, record sponsorship deals have been struck during Faulkner’s time and staff at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath will describe him as a fair boss who takes time and interest in all of their duties.

But, rightly or wrongly, the millions upon millions squandered because of bad football decisions will be his claret and blue legacy. Precisely how much say Faulkner had in the strange managerial appointments of Gerard Houllier (doomed by his heart)  and Alex McLeish (doomed from the start) is unknown and the suggestion is he was simply following Lerner’s orders.

Likewise, the sanctioning of a string of disastrous signings on lucrative long contracts, who boosted their own bank balances but drained Villa’s, damaging collective reputations in the process. 

Sadly, that’s the point. When Villa needed someone to advise and challenge Lerner and the various managers, Faulkner lacked either the experience, expertise or authority to do so and errors were repeated or exacerbated. In recent months there have been signs that Faulkner, often a voice of calm around the club, has been feeling the strain, while Lambert has somehow emerged as an increasingly dominant character. 

The main criticism of Faulkner and one that irks him terribly is that he is a glorified call centre worker, promoted above his station and out of touch with the game. This is harsh for a bright, ambitious young professional who has developed an extensive contacts book and a steelier side since being plunged into running a Premier League football club in his early thirties. With some established assistance in the boardroom he might have become a very good football administrator at Villa.

Faulkner, who commanded an annual salary of approximately £250,000, is expected to leave Villa with a handsome pay-off, and will spend time with wife Jane and baby son William, a cystic fibrosis sufferer who inspired him to raise money for the charity with last weekend’s abseil.

His role on the FA Council will cease with his employment at Villa and a man whose career aim is to shake off his ‘public schoolboy’ tag and earn the epitaph ‘Paul Faulkner: Football Man’ must do so away from the club where he took his most daunting plunge.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 05:51:14 PM
Interesting from Pat Murphy. Is he close to Faulkner?

Pat Murphy
‏@patmurphybbc
Who would've thought in May that a certain Paul L was going to walk the plank,rather than Paul F? Lerner & PF go back a decade,harsh call

Pat Murphy ‏@patmurphybbc  7h
@ferazmustafa He was sidelined,offered a role away from football,I understand.He passed on the offer which was not irresistible

Pat Murphy ‏@patmurphybbc  3h
@KezzAVFC @TheEgo74 Understand PF didn't see it coming,hadn't ruffled Lerner's feathers.PF has held things together at Villa Park,RL absent
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 05:58:37 PM
So he was pushed rather than walked ?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 08, 2014, 06:00:07 PM

Isn't it quite common for CEO's to have 12 month notice periods?

No. At least not in the USA. It IS common for CEO's to have a contract so if they are fired they get some remaining compensation, this also acts as golden handcuffs stopping him/her from resigning.

Much more commonly the handcuffs are stock or options though which will be lost after X months from leaving. In this case as a privately held company owned by one man I doubt Faulkner has any stock though.

Usually CEO's have a good enough relationship with the board they can give at least a couple of months advance notice regardless though.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Chris Smith on July 08, 2014, 06:01:47 PM
So he was pushed rather than walked ?

If you believe Murphy, personally, I'm not sure he's that reliable a source.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 08, 2014, 06:04:46 PM
Boy, Kendrick really cannot resist getting his routine Lambert digs in can he?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: KevinGage on July 08, 2014, 06:29:06 PM
There has been a pretty sharp downward trajectory in our progress since he took the CEO role in 2010. 

He might not be totally to blame, but -as the day-to day- manager holding the fort for an absentee landlord- he can take a fair share of it.

Anything less than record shirt sponsorship deals post-Ellis era would have been odd, and would have marked him out as an abysmal football administrator.  That would be harsh.  He's not abysmal, just not good/experienced enough for a senior role at a club of our size.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: TopDeck113 on July 08, 2014, 06:42:04 PM
Good riddance.  Not only did he personify the Peter Principle, but I also think he fell neatly between two stools: neither a ruthless business operator nor a died-in-the-wool football man.  We have needed both of those over the last few years, but instead we had neither and got the over-promoted tea-boy.   
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 06:47:53 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger ******.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 06:48:54 PM
Completely over the top and out of order.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: brian green on July 08, 2014, 06:49:35 PM
I am with you Bob.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 06:52:03 PM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know. It's obvious that the Chairman is likely to be making decisions like that. Who'd spend hundreds of millions on a club and not even want to decide who the manager was?

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

Hopefully his departure indicates that a deal may be completed at some point before Christmas.

Serious LOL at this.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 06:57:47 PM
Maybe they had a fall out? Thinking about it I can't believe a deal is imminent or why would Randy have bothered to make a statement yesterday?

That's what I don't get.

If Randy hadn't said anything yesterday, we'd now all be thinking a deal was imminent. He did, though, he said a deal wasn't done.

I suppose the only sensible thing would be that he knew this was coming - as he must have done, Faulkner won't just have quit this morning - and wanted to reassure people in advance.

A day in advance.

Don't panic!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:00:02 PM
Let's hope we find a CEO with football experience.PF has found the right place to work at the FA.

There isn't going to be a new CEO, just someone now trying to do two jobs, when you'd think the CEO might have a fair bit of work on.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Hoppo on July 08, 2014, 07:01:55 PM
I don't believe he needs to be treated with contempt and ridiculed but I'm glad he has gone!
He always seemed out of his depth.
This Russell is just a jumped up accountant who has been behind all of the cut backs we are going through. Frying Pan into fire?
Its a decision at least hopefully the first of many.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 07:05:33 PM
Once he finished his GCSEs he was always going to move on.

Yeah, nobody under the age of fifty should be allowed to have a decent job.
Which of course is *exactly* what I meant.  Good grief.

That's how it reads. You were alleging that he couldn't do the job properly as he was too young. How else should I have read it?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cheltenhamlion on July 08, 2014, 07:09:46 PM
Sorry Bob, but is there any danger you can stop talking such cobblers? I have personally taken PF to task over many things and he was understandably a prickly bugger about it.

But he is not the devil incarnate he has been pitched as. There is plenty of blame to be apportioned at Villa in the last few years.

It would be unfair to give others share to him also. And plenty of them have a share in that blame.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 07:17:57 PM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know. It's obvious that the Chairman is likely to be making decisions like that. Who'd spend hundreds of millions on a club and not even want to decide who the manager was?

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

Hopefully his departure indicates that a deal may be completed at some point before Christmas.

Serious LOL at this.

Really? I wasn't trying to be funny. I bet you like "Mrs Brown's Boys" if you laughed out loud at that.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 07:18:32 PM
That's how it reads. You were alleging that he couldn't do the job properly as he was too young. How else should I have read it?
How I intended it: a flippant remark about his youthful appearance.  So calm down and lighten up.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 07:20:11 PM
It would be unfair to give others share to him also. And plenty of them have a share in that blame.
Care to name names?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Mister E on July 08, 2014, 07:20:13 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.
Completely foundless.
Nobody goes to work to do a bad job and - even if he were out of depth, and I'm not sure whether he was - if he was poor it was because of his boss.
As for the FA, they probably couldn't afford him. What role is he going to be paid to do?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:21:23 PM
Wouldn't you be tempted to move on from your job if your long term future wasn't guaranteed and a chance to further your career came along?

Yeah, you're right and I don't disagree that PF would be silly not to look after his own interests. I'm just approaching this as a Supporter, and how I see his legacy. For me, he's overseen some of the strangest decisions in the club's recent history (the change of strategy from Houllier to McLeish still baffles me) and whether or not these decisions were made above his head, he was still in the chair and seen to be supporting them.

This is spot on. It's one thing considering the decisions an individual is faced with and agreeing that one might be best for them, but we are Villa fans and we want someone to actually give a shit about Villa. That's what we would do. That's what some clubs have got. And that's what equals success.

Look at Faulkner's spell at Villa. He is 100% in the top 10 biggest knobheads ever to have worked for us.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:24:24 PM
Good luck to him. Thought he got undeserved stick on here. Why people think a Chief Executive is likely to be in charge of things like appointing managers and deciding how much transfer money we have to spend I don't know. It's obvious that the Chairman is likely to be making decisions like that. Who'd spend hundreds of millions on a club and not even want to decide who the manager was?

He got us the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in our history, the biggest kit manufacturer deal in our history and generally modernised the presentation of the club... so you can now read all about Villa on our official Chinese website if you want to, for instance.

Hopefully his departure indicates that a deal may be completed at some point before Christmas.

Serious LOL at this.

Really? I wasn't trying to be funny. I bet you like "Mrs Brown's Boys" if you laughed out loud at that.

But that show has no similarities to your post.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Legion on July 08, 2014, 07:25:27 PM
Nice enough bloke, perhaps a bit out of his depth. Heart in the right place and I wish him well for the future.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:26:38 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.
Nobody goes to work to do a bad job and - even if he were out of depth, and I'm not sure whether he was - if he was poor it was because of his boss.

Ah, sorry. I must have misunderstood the final resting position of THE BUCK.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Richard E on July 08, 2014, 07:29:02 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.
Nobody goes to work to do a bad job and - even if he were out of depth, and I'm not sure whether he was - if he was poor it was because of his boss.

Ah, sorry. I must have misunderstood the final resting position of THE BUCK.

I think you did, the buck stops with Mr Lerner. I think Paul Faulkner has been the least of our problems, he's done a perfectly competent job on the commercial side. If he'd had a director of football alongside him he'd have been fine.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Legion on July 08, 2014, 07:30:27 PM
Wouldn't you be tempted to move on from your job if your long term future wasn't guaranteed and a chance to further your career came along?

Yeah, you're right and I don't disagree that PF would be silly not to look after his own interests. I'm just approaching this as a Supporter, and how I see his legacy. For me, he's overseen some of the strangest decisions in the club's recent history (the change of strategy from Houllier to McLeish still baffles me) and whether or not these decisions were made above his head, he was still in the chair and seen to be supporting them.

This is spot on. It's one thing considering the decisions an individual is faced with and agreeing that one might be best for them, but we are Villa fans and we want someone to actually give a shit about Villa. That's what we would do. That's what some clubs have got. And that's what equals success.

Look at Faulkner's spell at Villa. He is 100% in the top 10 biggest knobheads ever to have worked for us.

Name the other 9, giving reasons for each choice including Paul Faulkner.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:38:38 PM
Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended?  Surely the short-term future of the club would have been uppermost in any discussions.  I wonder what has happened to bring about such an about turn?  Smoke and mirrors methinks.

Exactly.

This departure is Faulkner's wish. What evidence is there to make us believe that Lerner would, at this time, decide to instigate Faulkner's departure? Lerner has shown us that he is playing less of a part. That doesn't make me think he'd be keen to have to deal with a CEO leaving.

It seems to me that Faulkner is leaving us at a bad time after making some the most ridiculous decisions that any man who has had to make decisions for us has ever done. The cherry on the icing on the top of the cake.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:40:15 PM
The cherry on the icing on the top of the cake.

That was from the commentary from the season review one year. Did we win 5-2 at White Hart Lane with Regis scoring the last?

Wonderful stuff.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Damo70 on July 08, 2014, 07:41:01 PM
Nice enough bloke, perhaps a bit out of his depth. Heart in the right place and I wish him well for the future.

That pretty much sums up my feelings. I think we could all come up with ten names of people who probably banked a lot more money in wages from our club without working as hard or caring as much as he did. Professional criticism of his overall performance is one thing but I don't think he deservers personal stick.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:42:14 PM
Wouldn't you be tempted to move on from your job if your long term future wasn't guaranteed and a chance to further your career came along?

Yeah, you're right and I don't disagree that PF would be silly not to look after his own interests. I'm just approaching this as a Supporter, and how I see his legacy. For me, he's overseen some of the strangest decisions in the club's recent history (the change of strategy from Houllier to McLeish still baffles me) and whether or not these decisions were made above his head, he was still in the chair and seen to be supporting them.

This is spot on. It's one thing considering the decisions an individual is faced with and agreeing that one might be best for them, but we are Villa fans and we want someone to actually give a shit about Villa. That's what we would do. That's what some clubs have got. And that's what equals success.

Look at Faulkner's spell at Villa. He is 100% in the top 10 biggest knobheads ever to have worked for us.

Name the other 9, giving reasons for each choice including Paul Faulkner.

haha! I bet you could.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 08, 2014, 07:42:28 PM
Nice enough bloke, perhaps a bit out of his depth. Heart in the right place and I wish him well for the future.

That pretty much sums up my feelings. I think we could all come up with ten names of people who probably banked a lot more money in wages from our club without working as hard or caring as much as he did. Professional criticism of his overall performance is one thing but I don't think he deservers personal stick.

That is very true.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Legion on July 08, 2014, 07:42:52 PM
I'm asking you to.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 07:46:46 PM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Omnishambles. Is that French for cluster-fuck...?

I take it you're not a "The Thick of It" fan?

Weird that all your comebacks include the titles of sitcoms
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 07:52:52 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.

That's the kind of unintelligent response you'd sometimes read on the clubs facebook page. Well done for winning dumbest post of the day, you must be proud.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 08:16:39 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.

You have to wonder what the world would have looked like had the internet existed in the mid 80's. Not dismissing the merits of Stride but you'd think he is the answer we are all craving from some people's posts. Like you said he's never given any grief considering we went down.

There's a big difference.

Doug was a megalomanic, it is clear that he was the one making the decisions.

I don't think Randy likes coming out from under the duvet and that Faulkner has had relatively more influence in the two relationships.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 08:20:06 PM
This:

He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now.

Doesn't tally with this:

Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended?  Surely the short-term future of the club would have been uppermost in any discussions.  I wonder what has happened to bring about such an about turn?  Smoke and mirrors methinks.

Exactly.

This departure is Faulkner's wish. What evidence is there to make us believe that Lerner would, at this time, decide to instigate Faulkner's departure?

As I'm sure you know, in leaving his Villa position, he automatically loses his FA position.

So, despite you thinking it's all about an FA position for him, you've decided that it was his decision to leave - something which we do not know is true - despite that meaning him losing that FA position you've just been telling us he covets.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Gareth on July 08, 2014, 08:27:45 PM
I'm not sure I've heard anything that shows he was a) out of his depth b) perfectly competent or c) the devil incarnate.

Personally I had no dealings with the bloke so am in no position to judge if he was good / bad / indifferent but judging by some of the comments I look forward to reading some of the stories of how he personally wronged a few.

Like everything around our club this summer none of us know (despite what some might have claimed elsewhere) what's going on which is the ultimate frustration.

Wonder if we'll buy someone tomorrow to make it a hat trick of unexpected press releases in 3 days :-)
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 08:28:09 PM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Omnishambles. Is that French for cluster-fuck...?

I take it you're not a "The Thick of It" fan?

Weird that all your comebacks include the titles of sitcoms

Neither was a comeback. That was a rhetorical question, referencing the fact that the word "Omnishambles" first originated from an episode of "The Thick of It".

I don't really need a comeback from something as lame as "LOL". It's a phrase I don't use myself, mainly due to the fact that I'm not a twelve year old girl.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: N'ZMAV on July 08, 2014, 08:35:05 PM
Imagine if the Internet was in full swing during that 1987 season....
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Toronto Villa on July 08, 2014, 08:42:57 PM
It makes me laugh all the shit that Faulkner takes, it must be a modern thing, because I don't remember people pinning the blame of relegation on Steve Stride's head at all.

You have to wonder what the world would have looked like had the internet existed in the mid 80's. Not dismissing the merits of Stride but you'd think he is the answer we are all craving from some people's posts. Like you said he's never given any grief considering we went down.
If Stride deserved flak for us going down then surely Faulkner also deserves some for us being in relegation scraps for the last two or three seasons?

Off course Faulkner deserves criticism. Where have I suggested he doesn't?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 08:59:55 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.

That's the kind of unintelligent response you'd sometimes read on the clubs facebook page. Well done for winning dumbest post of the day, you must be proud.

That's like, your opinion, man.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Legion on July 08, 2014, 09:01:17 PM
I'm asking you to.

Still waiting, bob.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 09:02:23 PM
This:

He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now.

Doesn't tally with this:

Why didn't he take this step at the New York meeting when the season ended?  Surely the short-term future of the club would have been uppermost in any discussions.  I wonder what has happened to bring about such an about turn?  Smoke and mirrors methinks.

Exactly.

This departure is Faulkner's wish. What evidence is there to make us believe that Lerner would, at this time, decide to instigate Faulkner's departure?

As I'm sure you know, in leaving his Villa position, he automatically loses his FA position.

So, despite you thinking it's all about an FA position for him, you've decided that it was his decision to leave - something which we do not know is true - despite that meaning him losing that FA position you've just been telling us he covets.

Only if you have decided that leaving one FA position, whilst holding another, full time, position, precludes him from obtaining another FA position when he has time to hold a full time FA position.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: bob on July 08, 2014, 09:07:46 PM
I'm asking you to.

Still waiting, bob.

Don't stay up too late, I won't be drawing up the list. It was a rough, albeit confident, estimation, likely influenced by recency bias and such a list would take more effort than I am willing to put into in order, particularly as I predict that it has the potential to provoke as much debate as is already in this thread, thus derailing the original. I suspect that is against forum rules.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 09:08:01 PM
I can name 2 of the 9 to get the ball rolling -

Culverhouse
Karsa
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Legion on July 08, 2014, 09:10:38 PM
I'm asking you to.

Still waiting, bob.

Don't stay up too late, I won't be drawing up the list. It was a rough, albeit confident, estimation, likely influenced by recency bias and such a list would take more effort than I am willing to put into in order, particularly as I predict that it has the potential to provoke as much debate as is already in this thread, thus derailing the original. I suspect that is against forum rules.

I won't. Why not? It isn't against forum rules for you to justify your comments and statements.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 09:13:36 PM
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.
He's been trying to weedle his way into an FA job for years now. He knew we were working towards being in this shit situation ages ago. A man way out of his depth, without the heart to admit it to an ignorant and permissive boss.

Fuck off Faulkner, yer ginger c***.

That's the kind of unintelligent response you'd sometimes read on the clubs facebook page. Well done for winning dumbest post of the day, you must be proud.

That's like, your opinion, man.

Of course it is, that's why I posted it.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: john e on July 08, 2014, 09:16:18 PM
I maybe wrong but I'm beginning to think that the word omnishambles is becoming appropriate to what's happening within the club.

Omnishambles. Is that French for cluster-fuck...?

I take it you're not a "The Thick of It" fan?

Weird that all your comebacks include the titles of sitcoms

Neither was a comeback. That was a rhetorical question, referencing the fact that the word "Omnishambles" first originated from an episode of "The Thick of It".

I don't really need a comeback from something as lame as "LOL". It's a phrase I don't use myself, mainly due to the fact that I'm not a twelve year old girl.


LOL..........  Man
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: kippaxvilla2 on July 08, 2014, 09:21:50 PM
He's obviously a well educated and intelligent man.  But you always got the impression that a job as big as this just came far too soon and the industry was so vastly different to what he'd been used to in banking.

Apart from the obviously bonkers football decisions at times I always felt it was a bit too nicey nicey jolly hockey sticks when dealing with other clubs in what is a very ruthless and unforgiving industry.

Wrong man wrong time.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ger Regan on July 08, 2014, 09:34:00 PM
I'm asking you to.

Still waiting, bob.

Don't stay up too late, I won't be drawing up the list. It was a rough, albeit confident, estimation, likely influenced by recency bias and such a list would take more effort than I am willing to put into in order, particularly as I predict that it has the potential to provoke as much debate as is already in this thread, thus derailing the original. I suspect that is against forum rules.

I won't. Why not? It isn't against forum rules for you to justify your comments and statements.
Though it is against site rules to post personal abuse, be it against other forum members or other people in general, so wind your neck in in future, bob.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 09:47:40 PM
Off course Faulkner deserves criticism. Where have I suggested he doesn't?
Where have I suggested that you did?  I made a statement, you agreed with it.  Move along, nothing to see here.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: kippaxvilla2 on July 08, 2014, 10:32:46 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10955310/.html
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: villan1975 on July 08, 2014, 10:40:04 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10955310/.html

Yikes.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 08, 2014, 10:41:07 PM
Villa in crisis!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 10:43:10 PM
I tell you what £15 million including wages would be laughable against the back drop of Fulham spending £11 million on a striker after being relegated. Now they shouldn't have done that, especially on him but it would show how stuffed we are if that figure is true. I don't know if it is, but it's not inconceivable.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Clampy on July 08, 2014, 10:51:49 PM
It was £10m a few weeks ago, now it's £15m. In other words, they're just guessing.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PaulWinch again on July 08, 2014, 10:53:48 PM
Quite possibly, but it's not unbelievable that that's the case.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 10:54:19 PM
It was £10m a few weeks ago, now it's £15m. In other words, they're just guessing.

The worrying thing is it is totally believable, and borne out by the bargain basement signings we've made so far.

We don't even try to pretend to be ambitious any more.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 10:54:32 PM
It was £10m a few weeks ago, now it's £15m. In other words, they're just guessing.
If it keeps going up £5m a week , happy days.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: manic-road on July 08, 2014, 10:56:12 PM
The most worrying thing is that it doesn't look like we will be sold any time soon.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 10:58:34 PM
The most worrying thing is that it doesn't look like we will be sold any time soon.
When was it ever going to be a quick sale ? Everton have been for sale for 10 years
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: john2710 on July 08, 2014, 10:58:48 PM
So we're in a crisis / left rudderless by Faulkner's departure. From what's been said, it appears he was offered another role in Lerner's empire but refused. That means the club have effectively dismissed him, not that he's walked out & left us leaderless. I would assume that;
a) Lerner has finally realised that you need experience to be a CEO
B) He has a replacement lined up
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: adrenachrome on July 08, 2014, 11:01:58 PM
ToryGraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10955310/Aston-Villa-in-turmoil-as-Randy-Lerner-flies-in-to-assure-manager-Paul-Lambert-following-shock-departure.html)

Quote
Aston Villa in turmoil as Randy Lerner flies in to assure manager Paul Lambert following shock departure

American owner makes transatlantic dash to help Lambert formulate transfer policy in wake of unexpected exit of chief executive Paul Faulkner

By John Percy 10:00PM BST 08 Jul 2014

 Randy Lerner has flown in from the United States to thrash out Aston Villa’s strategy for the summer, after the surprise exit of Paul Faulkner, the chief executive.

Lerner met Paul Lambert, the Villa manager, at the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground on Tuesday in a bid to ease the sense of turmoil following another difficult 24 hours.

The Villa owner assured Lambert that it would be business as usual, despite the departure of Faulkner effectively leaving the club rudderless at a time when it is up for sale.

Lerner is also believed to have reassessed this summer's transfer budget and may provide further money to strengthen the squad, though it is unlikely to be more than £15 million on fees and wages.

Lambert has signed only Joe Cole and Phillipe Senderos on free transfers and is determined to bring in more quality as he bids to avoid another season of struggle.

 He also wants the contract situations of the Holland international Ron Vlaar, Fabian Delph and Gabriel Agbonlahor sorted swiftly to avoid the prospect of bids from rival clubs.

However, the loss of Lambert's close ally Faulkner will do little to clear the overriding feeling of confusion over the club's future, with Lerner also meeting with players and staff to plead for calm.

While Lambert attempts to bring in new players, Telegraph Sport understands that a takeover is not remotely close and Lerner has been growing increasingly disillusioned at the lack of interest.

American billionaires Josh Harris and David Blitzer had held tentative discussions earlier this year over a potential takeover but have since disappeared.

Keith Harris, the respected investment banker, is assisting Lerner with the sale and is understood to be flying out to the States in a fortnight to try and generate more interest.

Lerner will listen to offers of around £200 million but is almost certain to remain as owner when the new season starts. He could now take on a more hands-on role as a result of Faulkner's exit.

Faulkner will remain as chief executive until he agrees a severance package but is likely to officially leave later this month.

Villa's statement insisted Faulkner will part on good terms but sources suggest his relationship with Lerner had become strained in recent weeks over some decisions made over the club's direction.

 "Having discussed his re-engaging with the chairman's broader business while remaining involved with Villa in a non-operational role, agreement could not be reached," the statement said.

"On the strength of many productive years together, and a longstanding friendship, Paul has parted on good terms. He has offered his support to the Villa organisation to ensure a smooth transition."

Lerner added: "Paul has been fantastic in his role at Villa and more broadly as a colleague over the years. I offer him my deepest thanks."

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 11:06:01 PM
So we're in a crisis / left rudderless by Faulkner's departure. From what's been said, it appears he was offered another role in Lerner's empire but refused. That means the club have effectively dismissed him, not that he's walked out & left us leaderless. I would assume that;
a) Lerner has finally realised that you need experience to be a CEO
B) He has a replacement lined up


I've read a few people saying similar today, but they seem to be ignoring the fact that nobody with a brain is going to come here and be our CEO in the current circumstances. The owner is trying to sell but failing. Anyone taking the job will know it is temporary. It will be Robin Russell filling in till the club is sold.

This is the last thing we need, even more uncertainty, it is an absolute shambles from top to bottom
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 08, 2014, 11:07:51 PM
The only certainty is uncertainty.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 11:10:51 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 11:18:37 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.

Yeah because what happens off the pitch doesn't matter.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 11:21:53 PM
I've read a few people saying similar today, but they seem to be ignoring the fact that nobody with a brain is going to come here and be our CEO in the current circumstances. The owner is trying to sell but failing. Anyone taking the job will know it is temporary. It will be Robin Russell filling in till the club is sold.

This is the last thing we need, even more uncertainty, it is an absolute shambles from top to bottom
I thought appointing McLeish was rock bottom.
Then I thought last season was rock bottom.
And now there's a new season around the corner.
Lambert needs to do in six weeks what he has failed to do in two years and Lerner needs to do in two months what he hasn't done for three years.  It's fair to say I'm not expecting much from the forthcoming season.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Olneythelonely on July 08, 2014, 11:25:02 PM
I take bob thinks "ginger ******" is an acceptable insult?

One Smirnoff Ice too many tonight?



Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 11:28:07 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.

In which it's not fair to blame him for what has happened on the pitch for the last few years.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Brend'Watkins on July 08, 2014, 11:30:38 PM
ToryGraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10955310/Aston-Villa-in-turmoil-as-Randy-Lerner-flies-in-to-assure-manager-Paul-Lambert-following-shock-departure.html)

Quote
Aston Villa in turmoil as Randy Lerner flies in to assure manager Paul Lambert following shock departure

American owner makes transatlantic dash to help Lambert formulate transfer policy in wake of unexpected exit of chief executive Paul Faulkner

By John Percy 10:00PM BST 08 Jul 2014

 Randy Lerner has flown in from the United States to thrash out Aston Villa’s strategy for the summer, after the surprise exit of Paul Faulkner, the chief executive.

Lerner met Paul Lambert, the Villa manager, at the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground on Tuesday in a bid to ease the sense of turmoil following another difficult 24 hours.

The Villa owner assured Lambert that it would be business as usual, despite the departure of Faulkner effectively leaving the club rudderless at a time when it is up for sale.

Lerner is also believed to have reassessed this summer's transfer budget and may provide further money to strengthen the squad, though it is unlikely to be more than £15 million on fees and wages.

Lambert has signed only Joe Cole and Phillipe Senderos on free transfers and is determined to bring in more quality as he bids to avoid another season of struggle.

 He also wants the contract situations of the Holland international Ron Vlaar, Fabian Delph and Gabriel Agbonlahor sorted swiftly to avoid the prospect of bids from rival clubs.

However, the loss of Lambert's close ally Faulkner will do little to clear the overriding feeling of confusion over the club's future, with Lerner also meeting with players and staff to plead for calm.

While Lambert attempts to bring in new players, Telegraph Sport understands that a takeover is not remotely close and Lerner has been growing increasingly disillusioned at the lack of interest.

American billionaires Josh Harris and David Blitzer had held tentative discussions earlier this year over a potential takeover but have since disappeared.

Keith Harris, the respected investment banker, is assisting Lerner with the sale and is understood to be flying out to the States in a fortnight to try and generate more interest.

Lerner will listen to offers of around £200 million but is almost certain to remain as owner when the new season starts. He could now take on a more hands-on role as a result of Faulkner's exit.

Faulkner will remain as chief executive until he agrees a severance package but is likely to officially leave later this month.

Villa's statement insisted Faulkner will part on good terms but sources suggest his relationship with Lerner had become strained in recent weeks over some decisions made over the club's direction.

 "Having discussed his re-engaging with the chairman's broader business while remaining involved with Villa in a non-operational role, agreement could not be reached," the statement said.

"On the strength of many productive years together, and a longstanding friendship, Paul has parted on good terms. He has offered his support to the Villa organisation to ensure a smooth transition."

Lerner added: "Paul has been fantastic in his role at Villa and more broadly as a colleague over the years. I offer him my deepest thanks."


Lambert has a direct line to Lerner.  What difference does it make now that Faulkner has gone even if as stated he's an ally?

Also, under Lerner, when has a journo ever got it correct on how much we've got to spend?  Guess work is all this article is.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 11:30:53 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.

In which it's not fair to blame him for what has happened on the pitch for the last few years.
Why ? I'm saying it won't get worse without him. Probably better.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 11:33:14 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.

In which it's not fair to blame him for what has happened on the pitch for the last few years.
That's one way of looking at it.  Another is that during his period as CEO he either facilitated or failed to prevent the team's precipitous decline to the extent that it no longer matters who the next CEO because the club is such a clusterfuck.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 08, 2014, 11:36:51 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.

In which it's not fair to blame him for what has happened on the pitch for the last few years.
Why ? I'm saying it won't get worse without him. Probably better.

how does "it won't make one iota of difference" mean the same as "it won't get worse without him", I knew exactly what you were trying to say but I actually agreed entirely with your first point, I don't think Faulkner going will make any difference to performance on the pitch because I don't think that was ever in his remit.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: john2710 on July 08, 2014, 11:38:12 PM
He's gone because he won't have a role at the club once we are sold & perhaps that situation is closer than we know.

People have been saying for years he's out of his depth & now he has gone the world is falling apart!

Of all the things around the club to be concerned about the news today of Faulkner's departure is not one of them.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 08, 2014, 11:41:07 PM
I don't think Faulkner going makes one iota of difference to what happens on the pitch. Chill people.

In which it's not fair to blame him for what has happened on the pitch for the last few years.
Why ? I'm saying it won't get worse without him. Probably better.

how does "it won't make one iota of difference" mean the same as "it won't get worse without him", I knew exactly what you were trying to say but I actually agreed entirely with your first point, I don't think Faulkner going will make any difference to performance on the pitch because I don't think that was ever in his remit.
His remit is to be good in a strategic way for the core business. Which is football. Was he ? No.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 08, 2014, 11:42:19 PM
He's gone because he won't have a role at the club once we are sold & perhaps that situation is closer than we know.

People have been saying for years he's out of his depth & now he has gone the world is falling apart!

Of all the things around the club to be concerned about the news today of Faulkner's departure is not one of them.
I think the issue is not so much that he's gone but that it took so long for the club to realise he wasn't up to it in the first place.  As you rightly say, people have been making that point for years.  A Premier League club is not a place to learn on the job.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 08, 2014, 11:50:01 PM
Faulkner's departure - and the manner of it - on its own doesn't really mean a huge amount.

You really need to look at it in the context of where the club is right now.

I think a lot of people are seeing it as "he's gone, good, he wasn't up to it". Whilst you can make a good argument that it wasn't up to it, that does not automatically mean that him going now is a good thing.

Currently we have

- an owner who is clearly going to keep the financial squeezers on.
- an owner who has says he wants out, but can't (yet) sell.
- a manager with pretty close to zero support from the fanbase, limping along in difficult circumstances
- three of our best players (Vlaar, Delph, Agbonlahor) entering the last year of their contracts

Honestly, I think Faulkner has played a decent part in the fuck ups of the last few years. Even if you think that's harsh, there isn't an easy way to exonerate him from blame in the shambles of the last few years.

To now throw into the above situation a lack of a CEO, and a CFO - who by all accounts knows nothing about football beyond figures - placed in temporary charge whilst we undergo an effort at sale which could quite easily drag on for a season or more, strikes me as a really, really poor state of affairs.

I don't know who instigated it, whether Faulkner had enough, or whether Lerner called time on it, but it doesn't matter. I just know that there is no way to cast a positive spin on this. I can't see how we can possibly be better with no CEO than with Faulkner in position.

I looked on twitter this evening and there were people banging on about how now we could get a stronger, more clued up CEO in. Clearly failing to spot the obvious flaw in that argument.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 08, 2014, 11:58:37 PM
Agree with much of that Paulie, but I disagree about Lamberts support level amongst fans. Certainly I would say the majority are still against but I don't think overwhelming. If anything I would say as the facts that have come out post season has probably bought him some goodwill.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ChicagoLion on July 08, 2014, 11:59:32 PM
Of course it should be a concern that he has gone, we now have an absentee want away owner and no CEO. A useless manager backed up by a psychopath and a number of our better players coming to the business end of their contracts.
We are signing miss fits and has-been to an already weak squad.

Nice work Randy.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: PeterWithesShin on July 09, 2014, 12:00:37 AM
If Gabby is one of our best players we are truly fucked! *winky*
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Louzie0 on July 09, 2014, 12:02:16 AM
Good luck to PF in whatever he decides to do next and thanks for the work he did for the Villa.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ChicagoLion on July 09, 2014, 12:03:29 AM
If Gabby is one of our best players we are truly fucked! *winky*
I was comparing him to Tonev ;)
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 09, 2014, 12:04:31 AM
Agree with much of that Paulie, but I disagree about Lamberts support level amongst fans. Certainly I would say the majority are still against but I don't think overwhelming. If anything I would say as the facts that have come out post season has probably bought him some goodwill.
For me, Lambert has been adhering himself to the fans through all this adversity. If he's still here come the first game, I think he will personally get superb support from the fans at the games.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ChicagoLion on July 09, 2014, 12:06:22 AM
Agree with much of that Paulie, but I disagree about Lamberts support level amongst fans. Certainly I would say the majority are still against but I don't think overwhelming. If anything I would say as the facts that have come out post season has probably bought him some goodwill.
For me, Lambert has been adhering himself to the fans through all this adversity. If he's still here come the first game, I think he will personally get superb support from the fans at the games.
I guess he must be stuck
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 09, 2014, 12:10:28 AM
Agree with much of that Paulie, but I disagree about Lamberts support level amongst fans. Certainly I would say the majority are still against but I don't think overwhelming. If anything I would say as the facts that have come out post season has probably bought him some goodwill.
For me, Lambert has been adhering himself to the fans through all this adversity. If he's still here come the first game, I think he will personally get superb support from the fans at the games.
I guess he must be stuck
Well he's not exactly covered himself in gloy since he's been here.  In fact he's made himself look a bit of a pritt.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Small Rodent on July 09, 2014, 12:13:25 AM
Personally, calling anyone a c**t for doing a job, whatever you feel their skills at the job, and bringing into it their hair colour ( how funny he's GINGER! Oh what fun! If only he was fat too!! He'd be a fat ginger c**t)  makes that person a c**t too. Totally unreasonable and childish.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 09, 2014, 12:17:51 AM
He is ginger though...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Small Rodent on July 09, 2014, 12:18:40 AM
He is ginger though...

Very...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on July 09, 2014, 05:33:09 AM
plus he does have a very rotund face. A bit like a hamster eating with his mouth full.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Olneythelonely on July 09, 2014, 06:36:11 AM
He is ginger though...

And referring to that fact, whilst calling someone a ******, as if that's the main reason, is ok?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Rigadon on July 09, 2014, 06:56:19 AM
Offered another position in the company either means A) he wasn't trusted to carry on, B) they were protecting him form the boot following a takeover or C) he has a better (more secure) job lined up and has jumped ship. 

I don't see it being option B.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 09, 2014, 07:41:04 AM
Yes, olney, it is. In fact it's almost obligatory. Ask the ginger's on here. They bring it on themselves.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave.woodhall on July 09, 2014, 07:57:10 AM
Yes, olney, it is. In fact it's almost obligatory. Ask the ginger's on here. They bring it on themselves.

You've made your point. Now move on please.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 09, 2014, 07:59:54 AM
indeed
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Olneythelonely on July 09, 2014, 11:35:28 AM
What point is being made? Are you ginger?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ger Regan on July 09, 2014, 12:10:58 PM
Can we draw a line under this please? He's just looking for a reaction.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paulcomben on July 09, 2014, 01:06:50 PM
AVST statement on PF. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-supporters-trust-thank-7395829#.U70ssKI6d-M.twitter

“The Aston Villa Supporters Trust was surprised by this morning’s announcement that Paul Faulkner is to step down as Chief Executive of Aston Villa.  In conjunction with yesterday’s statement from the Chairman, that suggests no takeover is imminent, this announcement only heightens the uncertainty amongst our support at what is a difficult time for everyone associated with the club.

AVST would hope that this announcement has no bearing on our preparations for the forthcoming campaign, where there is still much to be done in respect of player recruitment before the transfer window closes.  This is the primary concern amongst supporters at this time.

We would like to thank Paul for his contribution to Villa over the years and, in particular, for his approachability and willingness to engage with supporters.  We wish him the all the best for whatever his future may hold.

AVST would also like to give our support to Robin Russell in his interim role as Chief Executive.  We trust that he will work tirelessly in the coming weeks to ensure that our transfer targets are dealt with swiftly and that there will be an early resolution to the contract situation of three senior members of the playing squad.

Finally, we would like to reiterate that we hope the sale process is concluded as quickly as possible, in order that the uncertainty surrounding the club can be removed and so that we can look forward to Aston Villa being a competitive force on the field again.”
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Small Rodent on July 09, 2014, 01:28:32 PM
Apologies for being hysterical last night. Random insults with no substance just bore me sometimes.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 09, 2014, 01:46:36 PM
Good riddance.  Not only did he personify the Peter Principle, but I also think he fell neatly between two stools: neither a ruthless business operator nor a died-in-the-wool football man.  We have needed both of those over the last few years, but instead we had neither and got the over-promoted tea-boy.

Harsh, but fair. I wish he was just more honest and didn't try to mug off the worldy wise old timers on here with his corporate bullshit.

Seemed to pass the blame as well with his parting comment about how wonderful off field is compared to on field.

As I posted 'No Great Loss' Especially at £250k a year
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mrastonvilla on July 09, 2014, 01:59:01 PM
Wouldn't £250k a year make him one of the lowest paid CEO's in the premier league?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeB on July 09, 2014, 02:01:07 PM
Wouldn't £250k a year make him one of the lowest paid CEO's in the premier league?

It's a hard knock life.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 09, 2014, 02:21:45 PM
Wouldn't £250k a year make him one of the lowest paid CEO's in the premier league?

Possibly - I don't know if that figure is accurate and whether there are additional (off field) performance bonuses on top etc..

Still - No Great Loss. In fact a monetary saving.

A person who was promoted hopelessly above his station far too soon and in the wrong industry. He is a marketing manager in the credit card industry and I'm sure a very good one.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: andrew08 on July 09, 2014, 02:28:19 PM
While his salary isn't exactly minimum wage it's still four times less than the chap at Wolves who achieved a double relegation. On that basis of comparison only he didn't do too bad.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: RussellC on July 09, 2014, 02:40:51 PM
While his salary isn't exactly minimum wage it's still four times less than the chap at Wolves who achieved a double relegation. On that basis of comparison only he didn't do too bad.

Yes, but I do believe that he was also responsible for the third biggest catering contract in Wolves' history, so could be regarded as a success in that sense.

Winky face.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 09, 2014, 03:31:11 PM
While his salary isn't exactly minimum wage it's still four times less than the chap at Wolves who achieved a double relegation. On that basis of comparison only he didn't do too bad.
I doubt that Faulkner would have been four times better if we'd paid him four times more.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: KevinGage on July 09, 2014, 04:56:26 PM
Am I the only one who hears James xxunt's dulcet tones every time I see that thread title?  Probably.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 09, 2014, 04:57:37 PM
Paul who ?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeB on July 09, 2014, 04:59:27 PM
Am I the only one who hears James xxunt's dulcet tones every time I see that thread title?  Probably.

They say you hear what you want to hear.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Dave on July 09, 2014, 05:10:21 PM
Am I the only one who hears James xxunt's dulcet tones every time I see that thread title?  Probably.
Nope, I was going to post similar but though I would be held up to ridicule.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 09, 2014, 05:39:38 PM
Paul who ?

Paul Faulkner.

His name's in the thread title.

H2H.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: manic-road on July 09, 2014, 06:36:58 PM
Does anyone know anything about Robin Russell who is into rimming now that Faulkner has quit?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ciggiesnbeer on July 09, 2014, 06:40:39 PM
Does anyone know anything about Robin Russell who is into rimming now that Faulkner has quit?

The CFO who sits on the board. As is common, the CFO is just stepping into the CEO role while a new CEO can be found. I would expect him & Villa's legal counsel to be handling the transfer paperwork for the next few weeks, assuming we have transfers.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: London Villan on July 09, 2014, 10:05:55 PM
Was he at the club before Lerner's takeover? My failing memory seems to think so.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave.woodhall on July 09, 2014, 10:28:31 PM
Was he at the club before Lerner's takeover? My failing memory seems to think so.

No.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 09, 2014, 10:31:36 PM
Whatever happened to that Fitzpatrick bloke who was CEO for a while.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Tony Erdington on July 09, 2014, 11:37:32 PM
as we say in the better parts of Erdington, "do one ya Twat"

what the fuck did he do.

didn't he have a hand in bringing Alex to the club?

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on July 09, 2014, 11:38:29 PM
Whatever happened to that Fitzpatrick bloke who was CEO for a while.

FitzGerald.

Left because he couldn't get on with MON.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Rolta on July 10, 2014, 09:39:41 AM
as we say in the better parts of Erdington, "do one ya Twat"

what the fuck did he do.

didn't he have a hand in bringing Alex to the club?

You don't know what he did, but you'd put yourself in the group who'd abuse a stranger without really knowing what was going on?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 10, 2014, 09:42:59 AM
as we say in the better parts of Erdington, "do one ya Twat"

what the fuck did he do.

didn't he have a hand in bringing Alex to the club?

He did. And thereby those of us who weren't particularly impressed with PF's performance have a trump card. It said we are Aston Villa - welcome to the SMALL TIME.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: garyfouroaks on July 10, 2014, 10:34:43 AM
I didn't rate PF so his departure is no loss.

BUT, the reason why he is going I suspect is that he has no interest in leading a rudderless ship until a new  skipper arrives and dumps him.

The prospects for next season are the worst in living memory.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: rob_bridge on July 10, 2014, 10:39:41 AM
I didn't rate PF so his departure is no loss.

BUT, the reason why he is going I suspect is that he has no interest in leading a rudderless ship until a new  skipper arrives and dumps him.

The prospects for next season are the worst in living memory.

They are pretty bad but I clutch to the sinlge straw that 8-10 other teams are more fightened to lose than bothered about winning. Gives us a chance
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: TimTheVillain on July 10, 2014, 11:49:18 AM
Where's Faulkner going to ?

The FA ?

He's a mate of Randy's ( ex MBNA) so to me it means that there could be a sale imminently ( call me optimistic) and Faulkner knows that he'd get the wellington as soon as the new owners are in town.

That's how I see it.

As for continuity - an accountant like Russell is fine, if only temporary.

Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on July 10, 2014, 12:57:54 PM
his FA committee role ceases once he's left Villa .
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave shelley on July 10, 2014, 01:14:14 PM
I didn't rate PF so his departure is no loss.

BUT, the reason why he is going I suspect is that he has no interest in leading a rudderless ship until a new  skipper arrives and dumps him.

The prospects for next season are the worst in living memory.

Sorry Gary but they're not.  Maybe in your lifetime but certainly not in mine.  For those complaining about Senderos and Cole, back in the sixties we were signing other clubs' reserves for 18-20k when the progressive clubs were paying 60-100k.  Liverpool were signing the likes of Emlyn Hughes whilst we got, with respect to them, John Woodward, Brian Greenhalgh and Tommy Mitchinson.  Irrespective of how the game has changed with the passing of time, those three are hardly able to hold a candle to Senderos and Cole.

*I've never really understood that phrase, hold a candle to.*
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Dave on July 10, 2014, 01:19:14 PM
From the practice of apprentices holding candles up for craftsmen to work in bad light. Apparently.

If you're not even good even for that task, then you're not going to be much good at anything else.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave shelley on July 10, 2014, 01:25:02 PM
Ta.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ChicagoLion on July 10, 2014, 01:29:25 PM
My Dad rated Greenalgh
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave shelley on July 10, 2014, 02:30:51 PM
I didn't.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Damo70 on July 10, 2014, 05:49:25 PM
From the practice of apprentices holding candles up for craftsmen to work in bad light. Apparently.

If you're not even good even for that task, then you're not going to be much good at anything else.

I had never thought too deeply about that phrase before but realised I didn't have a clue where it came from either. I love finding out little nuggets like that. Dave has made my day.

I know, I know. I need to get out more.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave.woodhall on July 10, 2014, 05:59:47 PM
From the practice of apprentices holding candles up for craftsmen to work in bad light. Apparently.

If you're not even good even for that task, then you're not going to be much good at anything else.

I had never thought too deeply about that phrase before but realised I didn't have a clue where it came from either. I love finding out little nuggets like that. Dave has made my day.

I know, I know. I need to get out more.

If you like, I can tell you where the idea that breaking a mirror is seven years bad luck originates.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: cheltenhamlion on July 10, 2014, 06:06:29 PM
Legion did it?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 10, 2014, 06:10:22 PM
I didn't rate PF so his departure is no loss.

BUT, the reason why he is going I suspect is that he has no interest in leading a rudderless ship until a new  skipper arrives and dumps him.

The prospects for next season are the worst in living memory.

Sorry Gary but they're not.  Maybe in your lifetime but certainly not in mine.  For those complaining about Senderos and Cole, back in the sixties we were signing other clubs' reserves for 18-20k when the progressive clubs were paying 60-100k.  Liverpool were signing the likes of Emlyn Hughes whilst we got, with respect to them, John Woodward, Brian Greenhalgh and Tommy Mitchinson.  Irrespective of how the game has changed with the passing of time, those three are hardly able to hold a candle to Senderos and Cole.

*I've never really understood that phrase, hold a candle to.*

Emlyn Hughes? Bullet dodged then if you ask me. Although dodging it all the way to the 3rd division is a bit of a swerve.

In all honesty I have no idea what the CEO of a football club does or is supposed to do so I have no idea if he's any good at it. To get the FA position you'd have to consider that he must have been thought of highly in some quarters.

I've also no idea what it means in terms of the sale but I can understand why he'd want job security and would look elsewhere for it.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 10, 2014, 06:12:19 PM
From the practice of apprentices holding candles up for craftsmen to work in bad light. Apparently.

If you're not even good even for that task, then you're not going to be much good at anything else.

I had never thought too deeply about that phrase before but realised I didn't have a clue where it came from either. I love finding out little nuggets like that. Dave has made my day.

I know, I know. I need to get out more.

If you like, I can tell you where the idea that breaking a mirror is seven years bad luck originates.

Summat to do with ancient Greece or Rome wasn't it?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Diablo on July 10, 2014, 06:31:51 PM
From the practice of apprentices holding candles up for craftsmen to work in bad light. Apparently.

If you're not even good even for that task, then you're not going to be much good at anything else.

I had never thought too deeply about that phrase before but realised I didn't have a clue where it came from either. I love finding out little nuggets like that. Dave has made my day.

I know, I know. I need to get out more.

If you like, I can tell you where the idea that breaking a mirror is seven years bad luck originates.

I like this game. Go on Dave :-)
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave.woodhall on July 10, 2014, 06:34:32 PM
Back in the days when mirrors were comparatively expensive you'd have just one in the house if you were lucky, and chances are it would be a family heirloom. If you broke it a replacement would take on average seven years to save for.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Damo70 on July 10, 2014, 06:42:43 PM
For me, this now has the potential to be one of the finest 'going off on a tangent' threads ever. And there have been some classics in the past.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ChicagoLion on July 10, 2014, 06:49:26 PM
What about, "one for the road"  ?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave shelley on July 10, 2014, 07:13:37 PM
I believe that stems from the time criminals were taken to their place of execution.  They would be offered a drink at the pub/inn as they were transported to the hangman.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 10, 2014, 07:23:49 PM
My old man says 'such-and-such hasn't happened for donkeys years'.  Do donkeys live a long time?

Continuing the equine theme, my mate Tony used to say 'Shanks's pony'; I've no idea where that comes from.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: garyshawsknee on July 10, 2014, 07:26:12 PM
You're right Dave it is. 'Back to square one' comes from when the first football radio commentaries were on and the listener had a card of the pitch with different areas numbered, so a goal kick or when the keeper had it was ' back to square one'. Read it the other day in the excellent Martin Kelner book.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Dave on July 10, 2014, 07:44:27 PM
My old man says 'such-and-such hasn't happened for donkeys years'.  Do donkeys live a long time?
Rhyming slang I believe.

Donkey's ears = years. So back in the day it was just 'such-and-such hasn't happened for donkeys'. The years bit seems to have superfluously been added back in comparatively recently.

Again, I think this is just a theory (like the candle one above) rather than a definite answer.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Chris Smith on July 10, 2014, 08:00:27 PM

Continuing the equine theme, my mate Tony used to say 'Shanks's pony'; I've no idea where that comes from.

I know this one.

I remember being on 'family match' coach trips with my old man's fishing club. Basically it was a few hours fishing and several more hours drinking with a pub meal thrown in. On the way back there was always a sing song and one of the regular tunes belted out was called "Strolling" which had a line "I'd rather Shanks' pony". Anyway before I get too misty eyed; I asked somebody what that meant and apparently it comes from an old word for part of the leg, "shank. So basically it means walking.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 10, 2014, 08:14:26 PM
I remember being on 'family match' coach trips with my old man's fishing club. Basically it was a few hours fishing and several more hours drinking with a pub meal thrown in. On the way back there was always a sing song and one of the regular tunes belted out was called "Strolling" which had a line "I'd rather Shanks' pony". Anyway before I get too misty eyed; I asked somebody what that meant and apparently it comes from an old word for part of the leg, "shank. So basically it means walking.
Yep, I'll buy that.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: hilts_coolerking on July 10, 2014, 08:15:14 PM
Rhyming slang I believe.

Donkey's ears = years. So back in the day it was just 'such-and-such hasn't happened for donkeys'. The years bit seems to have superfluously been added back in comparatively recently.

Again, I think this is just a theory (like the candle one above) rather than a definite answer.
That makes sense - he's an East End boy.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: steamer on July 10, 2014, 08:39:07 PM
Shanks pony, was a dead pony, therefore he had no pony, you walked !
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Diablo on July 11, 2014, 10:55:35 AM
Never a fan of PF and I will be glad to not have to endure his corporate bullspeak again. I was however (like many others) really concerned with the timing of his announced departure. That was until this thread took a great turn for the better. Now I couldn't be happier as I now know where "7 years of bad luck" and "one for the road came" from. Goodbye Paul and thank you in particular for that!

Continuing on the theme. The only one I think I may know is the saying "touch wood". Which I believe came from the christian crosses that were originally made of wood that hung around their necks and that they would touch for comfort and guidance before (as an example) they were fed to the lions...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: DeKuip on July 11, 2014, 11:39:09 AM
Back in the days when mirrors were comparatively expensive you'd have just one in the house if you were lucky, and chances are it would be a family heirloom. If you broke it a replacement would take on average seven years to save for.

I thought it went back to Roman times when they believed that the reflection was part of the soul and as it was believed that every cell in your body was renewed every seven years, a broken soul would take that long to be match fit again!

I am willing to accept that I'm barking up the wrong tree with that and bury the hatchet should anyone come up with further evidence, by hook or by crook.
Come on, let's not beat about the bush.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ADVILLAFAN on July 11, 2014, 03:16:16 PM
I heard where "You could freeze the brass balls off a monkey" came from, have a feeling I read it on a cereal packet.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 11, 2014, 03:24:02 PM
I heard where "You could freeze the brass balls off a monkey" came from, have a feeling I read it on a cereal packet.

If it's to do with Cannonballs and ships it's wrong - http://snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp

There's loads of good ones on that site if you want to look.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ADVILLAFAN on July 11, 2014, 03:37:09 PM
I heard where "You could freeze the brass balls off a monkey" came from, have a feeling I read it on a cereal packet.

If it's to do with Cannonballs and ships it's wrong - http://snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp

There's loads of good ones on that site if you want to look.

It was to do with cannonballs and ships and that the thing to put cannonballs on in a ship was called a monkey.

Oh well, back to the drawing board.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Damo70 on July 11, 2014, 04:19:25 PM
You're right Dave it is. 'Back to square one' comes from when the first football radio commentaries were on and the listener had a card of the pitch with different areas numbered, so a goal kick or when the keeper had it was ' back to square one'. Read it the other day in the excellent Martin Kelner book.

I have heard that story before too. I believe the cards were printed in the Radio Times magazine.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: paul_e on July 11, 2014, 04:28:27 PM
You're right Dave it is. 'Back to square one' comes from when the first football radio commentaries were on and the listener had a card of the pitch with different areas numbered, so a goal kick or when the keeper had it was ' back to square one'. Read it the other day in the excellent Martin Kelner book.

I have heard that story before too. I believe the cards were printed in the Radio Times magazine.

This is also questionable - http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/back%20to%20square%20one.html
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: adrenachrome on July 11, 2014, 05:06:22 PM

Continuing the equine theme, my mate Tony used to say 'Shanks's pony'; I've no idea where that comes from.

I know this one.

I remember being on 'family match' coach trips with my old man's fishing club. Basically it was a few hours fishing and several more hours drinking with a pub meal thrown in. On the way back there was always a sing song and one of the regular tunes belted out was called "Strolling" which had a line "I'd rather Shanks' pony". Anyway before I get too misty eyed; I asked somebody what that meant and apparently it comes from an old word for part of the leg, "shank. So basically it means walking.

Used to be sung up The Holte in the late 60's with the words changed to "I'd rather shag a pony", would you believe.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Dave Cooper please on July 12, 2014, 09:20:47 AM

Continuing on the theme. The only one I think I may know is the saying "touch wood". Which I believe came from the christian crosses that were originally made of wood that hung around their necks and that they would touch for comfort and guidance before (as an example) they were fed to the lions...

Damn, I was convinced that this phrase came from fluffers in the porn industry.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 12, 2014, 12:52:01 PM
Back in the days when mirrors were comparatively expensive you'd have just one in the house if you were lucky, and chances are it would be a family heirloom. If you broke it a replacement would take on average seven years to save for.

Hmmmm. Are you sure?

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080818025830AAov7I5

http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/news-wheredosuperstitionscomefrom/5/

http://www.wisegeek.org/why-is-it-considered-bad-luck-to-break-a-mirror.htm
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: dave.woodhall on July 12, 2014, 12:53:45 PM
Cosmic penance or a bloke in a pub in Tipton. I know who I believe.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: peter w on July 12, 2014, 01:01:09 PM
Ah. Depends on the pub, surely?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on July 12, 2014, 03:26:45 PM
and on what ley line it is on.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: robbo1874 on July 13, 2014, 05:14:25 AM
Back in the days when mirrors were comparatively expensive you'd have just one in the house if you were lucky, and chances are it would be a family heirloom. If you broke it a replacement would take on average seven years to save for.
ze Germans have a similar saying- 7 years bad sex. Apparently if you don't look somebody in the eye who you are clinking steins with and saying cheers to, that is the result. Not sure if there is any factual basis to it though...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on July 13, 2014, 05:41:49 AM
it's worse. I haven't had a decent shag in more like eight years since it happened to me at an Oktober Fest.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: claret and blue blood on July 13, 2014, 09:18:19 AM
So why is it bad luck to "cross on the stairs" answer this and we will have no problems next season as it sometimes takes me 8 attempts to take my seat without some awkward sod coming down them!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Ron Manager on July 13, 2014, 09:57:21 AM
I didn't.

and neither did I. Scored a few but never looked like sustaining a goalscoring run. John Woodward looked as if he had something. Then he got a serious injury(against the Baggies I think) and that more or less finished him as a top level player.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Witton Warrior on July 13, 2014, 10:15:18 AM


Continuing on the theme. The only one I think I may know is the saying "touch wood". Which I believe came from the christian crosses that were originally made of wood that hung around their necks and that they would touch for comfort and guidance before (as an example) they were fed to the lions...

Even earlier I think - Saxon heathenry held that there was a spirit in all living things - they worshipped in open tree groves - to "touch wood" was to make an wish, oath or promise on the living spirit of a holy tree (oak/ash etc)
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Olneythelonely on July 13, 2014, 12:18:34 PM
Back in the days when mirrors were comparatively expensive you'd have just one in the house if you were lucky, and chances are it would be a family heirloom. If you broke it a replacement would take on average seven years to save for.
ze Germans have a similar saying- 7 years bad sex. Apparently if you don't look somebody in the eye who you are clinking steins with and saying cheers to, that is the result. Not sure if there is any factual basis to it though...

I usually like to clink steins whilst having bad sex.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Diablo on July 14, 2014, 11:33:32 AM

Continuing on the theme. The only one I think I may know is the saying "touch wood". Which I believe came from the christian crosses that were originally made of wood that hung around their necks and that they would touch for comfort and guidance before (as an example) they were fed to the lions...

Damn, I was convinced that this phrase came from fluffers in the porn industry.

Hahaha! Brilliant. This is my favourite explanation.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Diablo on July 14, 2014, 11:41:52 AM


Continuing on the theme. The only one I think I may know is the saying "touch wood". Which I believe came from the christian crosses that were originally made of wood that hung around their necks and that they would touch for comfort and guidance before (as an example) they were fed to the lions...

Even earlier I think - Saxon heathenry held that there was a spirit in all living things - they worshipped in open tree groves - to "touch wood" was to make an wish, oath or promise on the living spirit of a holy tree (oak/ash etc)

This would actually make much more sense to me especially with the christians having a track record of "adopting" lots of things (symbolism, names etc) from pagan religions. Yep. I obviously made the mistake of listening to a christian. School boy error! Doh!
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: kippaxvilla2 on July 14, 2014, 02:17:07 PM
What about 'no flies on you?'
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Tony Erdington on July 28, 2014, 07:39:26 PM
So we see Paul off Friday 1st August, the chosen few will be there.

the nineteenth that is.


Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Dante Lavelli on July 28, 2014, 07:44:03 PM
So we see Paul off Friday 1st August, the chosen few will be there.

the nineteenth that is.

I've never heard of that expression and I don't understand it in the context of Faulkner leaving too.
Can you rephrase please?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeB on July 28, 2014, 07:44:25 PM
So we see Paul off Friday 1st August, the chosen few will be there.

the nineteenth that is.




Say what, brother?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Legion on July 28, 2014, 07:46:39 PM
So we see Paul off Friday 1st August, the chosen few will be there.

the nineteenth that is.




?

Is that a golfing reference?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: silhillvilla on July 28, 2014, 07:47:33 PM
So we see Paul off Friday 1st August, the chosen few will be there.

the nineteenth that is.
19th ie. in the clubhouse after a round of golf.
Leaving do at The Belfry ?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: LeeB on July 28, 2014, 07:49:02 PM
So we see Paul off Friday 1st August, the chosen few will be there.

the nineteenth that is.
19th ie. in the clubhouse after a round of golf.
Leaving do at The Belfry ?

Ah, I see.

Me being thick as shit, and hating golf meant I didn't stand a chance there.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on August 14, 2014, 07:21:09 PM
I see Paul has decided for now to go it alone, setting up Paul Faulkner Consulting, an "experienced CEO, providing strategic and leadership consultancy services".

Good luck to him.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: London Villan on August 14, 2014, 09:28:00 PM
Hope he isn't in charge of recruitment...
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Malandro on August 28, 2014, 01:27:00 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28969927
good old bbc. Paul and Mark Faulkner in one article
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Percy McCarthy on August 28, 2014, 02:08:24 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28969927
good old bbc. Paul and Mark Faulkner in one article

I only see Paul.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Malandro on August 28, 2014, 03:04:53 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28969927
good old bbc. Paul and Mark Faulkner in one article

I only see Paul.

sorry headline says Mark Faulkner
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: ez on August 28, 2014, 03:30:50 PM
Seeing Nottingham forest have appointed Faulkner.
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: UK Redsox on August 28, 2014, 04:05:40 PM
Yep, following on from the BBC using a photo of Tonev in their story about Gardner moving to Brighton, they're now calling Faulkner "Mark"
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: pauliewalnuts on August 28, 2014, 04:19:47 PM
Good luck to him.

Aren't Forest's owners a bit'unpredictable?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: Tayls_7 on August 28, 2014, 05:30:36 PM
Good luck to him.

Aren't Forest's owners a bit'unpredictable?

I've been watching Paul Lambert's Aston Villa for too many years now. What is this word "unpredictable"?
Title: Re: Goodbye Paul Faulkner.
Post by: mr underhill on August 29, 2014, 08:45:52 AM
commercially Mark/Paul will do a good job there.
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