RAL Takeover 5 Years In

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Wasn't Steve Stride also on the panel that voted in favour of Wimbledon becoming MK Dons?

Atilla the stockbroker had a go at him about it at the H&V 20th bash.

[dave.woodhall]

Wasn't Steve Stride also on the panel that voted in favour of Wimbledon becoming MK Dons?

Atilla the stockbroker had a go at him about it at the H&V 20th bash.

Thanks for reminding me. I'd never heard Steve swear before.

[Legion]

I missed that. What happened?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I missed that. What happened?

Atilla moaned at him, going into Commie man of the people mode about Wimbledon. Steve said to me 'Who was that c***?'
Bit of a jolt that, I was trying to sell raffle tickets at the time.

[Legion]

Thanks. I enjoyed that night.

[5ft811st2 Durham]

Randy has undoubtedly spent a lot of his own money on Villa and it was close to being enough to get us into the champions league, but if we had, the level of investment would never have been enough to make it anymore than a one season wonder.

That however was then and things have moved on to the extent that even if Randy had been prepared to sustain his spending it would never be enough now.

For example if you compare our spending from 07 to 09 it's nothing to what Liverpool are spending now in there attempt to get back to the promised land.

Accordingly you can hardly blame Randy for giving up in light of the huge spending power of the competion.

However understandable or not, the fact remains that we aren't going to see any significant success under the current  regime.   

[kippaxvilla2]

He bought the club for £62.6m which was very cheap at the time I thought.  At today's prices it would be worth well over £200m.  His investment in facilities has probably been around £50m (being generous), so it depends on what the net outlay elsewhere has been.  But I think he will recoup his investment when he does eventually go.  I thought he was the billionaire owner of a credit card company.  He was listed as the 224th richest American.  In a country with a 300m population that is impressive.  I can't believe there isn't sufficient money there to continue to invest in players.

[Locko]

He's done some good things, he's invested a lot of money in us, there's no getyng way from that.

However, for the last twelve months the management of the club has been hopeless. Events prior to and after  Houllier's appointment were amateurish, but the process we have just been through was farcical and unprofessional on a number of levels.

At the end of last season, we just needed a lift to get back to where we were before last year - make a decent managerial appointment, get the spirits up again, get the positivity back, and reclaim the momentum after a tricky season.

Instead, we have done the complete opposite, made an appointment guaranteed to divide, and add gloom, not lift it, and are in the process of selling our best players yet again.

It isn't Randy's financial commitment I would question above all else, it s the way he is allowing the club to be managed. Throwing money at it is one thing, but look at the enormous sums we have spunked away. How much have we spent on getting rid of, and acquiring new managers in the last few weeks, for example? And for what end result?

Isn't most of the money Randy has put into the club been in the form of loans? Which we are repaying plus interest (Daddy Lerner would be proud), I don't believe Randy's tenure has been one long grand philanthropic gesture. He's not moved us on from where we were under Doug. We still can't compete. The last 12 months has been a complete dogs breakfast. 

[kippaxvilla2]

I suppose it could have been a lot worse...............I remember this guy talking about Broadband like it was some new invention he had come up with.

Aston Villa fan Michael Neville is still hopeful he can lead a takeover of the club, despite the £64m bid hitting a stumbling block over transfer funds.
Villa chairman Doug Ellis wants assurances the bid, made with property developers Luke and Brian Comer, will provide funding for new players.

Neville said: "Things are going on and I am optimistic about it but it could take a while.

"We have a plan to generate cash but it is taking a bit of time."
Neville has been in negotiations with Ellis since September and has said he aims to take the former European Cup winners into the Champions League in three years.

And he said he is prepared to be patient to ensure a deal can be thrashed out as he continues negotiations with financial group Rothschild, which is representing the club.

He said: "I know the process involved and it is not a five-minute thing.

"Although I am not privy to everything at the club, I do not believe there is any other interest.

"It will take a bit of time but we are working on it at the moment and remain optimistic. We would still love to take the club over."

Ellis has been chairman at Villa Park since 1982 and currently owns a 39% share in the club, with access to another 12%.

The bid will buy his shares and those of the other main shareholder, former Watford chairman Jack Petchey.

[darren woolley]

Randy has done a good job since he has come to Villa he has backed managers with money MON wasted it and there lies the problem but I still say he is right for us.

[Villanation]

Curious to know just how much RL has spent on players and how much has been recouped in players moving on and what the net is. How that looks spread across the time he's been in charge and again how that compares with say the average mid-table Premiership side.

[RogerS]

Randy has done a good job since he has come to Villa he has backed managers with money MON wasted it and there lies the problem but I still say he is right for us.

So do I, Darren. But, from having read some of the comments being flung around on a number of other threads (as well as this one), it would appear that 'liking the Board' is 'so very 2008'.  Still, who gives a kipper's dick about appearing fashionable. Not me, that's for sure  

[RogerS]

They haven't realised their ambitions, the Premier League has moved on and Lerner doesn't have the money or the nous to keep up with the pace.

I assume you've told him that to his face, Risso?

[TheSandman]

Christ if you think back to some of the chancers we had linked with bids when Doug was leaving you realise how much worse things could have been.

Ray Ranson **Shudders**

[kippaxvilla2]

Randy has done a good job since he has come to Villa he has backed managers with money MON wasted it and there lies the problem but I still say he is right for us.

So do I, Darren. But, from having read some of the comments being flung around on a number of other threads (as well as this one), it would appear that 'liking the Board' is 'so very 2008'.  Still, who gives a kipper's dick about appearing fashionable. Not me, that's for sure  

It's not about liking the board though is it.  I like Pork Chops and chips but I wouldn't trust them to handle my vast share portfolio.

These are business people at the end of the day and it's about the way they handle what is a very PR driven business.  I think they have done some very good things but I personally believe that this is the summer where a true disconnect between the fans and the board has emerged primarily due to the quite ludicrous appointment of a manager who has been rewarded for failing in his job with another job with a higher placed club.

Apart from the PR statement to do with Premier League experience, shared vision etc, there has been no credible explanation for the appointment and this coupled with the farcical way (trust me and not being disrespectful you had to be in Birmingham and the surrounding areas to understand how farcical) the recruitment process was handled.  In addition, with the meek and mild way we appear to going about doing business lately on transfers, money etc means that for the first time the stewardship of the club is being thoroughly examined.