Huge Summer....

[Percy McCarthy]

I heard that some rich Arabs had a guided tour months ago. Dismissed it though as I thought if there was any truth in it, the press would have been all over it.

[Mazrim]

I think sometimes the press are perceived as being far more competent than they actually are.
Plus I think many of them have learned not to bother snooping around Villa because they get next to nowt.

[Percy McCarthy]

Possibly right on both counts there Maz. Don't want to build my hopes up but, as someone said on here before, imagine what Man City type investment into the club AND surroundings could do for Aston and Aston Villa!

[Percy McCarthy]

Also, I know I'm biased, but I honestly, objectively believe that given our geographical location and size of our city, our potential returns on a massive investment piss all over every club in England bar Man Utd.

[Concrete John]

Also, I know I'm biased, but I honestly, objectively believe that given our geographical location and size of our city, our potential returns on a massive investment piss all over every club in England bar Man Utd.

Although this is true, I feel most of these mega rish investors are looking for 'glamour' more than a return.

[Mazrim]

Perhaps a bit of both.

Also, I know I'm biased, but I honestly, objectively believe that given our geographical location and size of our city, our potential returns on a massive investment piss all over every club in England bar Man Utd.

It would take some doing but I agree.

[Shoody]

Would need too much investment. Too many clubs nearby to make that happen

Wolves, Baggies, Blues, Stoke. Even Leicester and Leeds would all need to fall away into non-existance for us to become one of the biggest supported clubs in the country. If say 2 of them fell away into non-existance and we had over a decade's worth of constant success then yes the next generation of midlands supporters would probably be villains.

But if I were a neutral (and took FFP into consideration). I'd get a similar outcome and much quicker if I bought Newcastle. Only them and Sunderland up there, packed every week, get them challenging and I bet they already have a large supporter base around the rest of the country ( I know more Newcastle fans than Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea fans ).

Our advantage would be if we were a massive club we would have the best links in the country for neutral fans to visit. If we were going to be a club that had a massive following it is probably much easier for people to come to Villa Park than any other club in the country. 

[Chris Smith]

Would need too much investment. Too many clubs nearby to make that happen

Wolves, Baggies, Blues, Stoke. Even Leicester and Leeds would all need to fall away into non-existance for us to become one of the biggest supported clubs in the country. If say 2 of them fell away into non-existance and we had over a decade's worth of constant success then yes the next generation of midlands supporters would probably be villains.

How is that any different to to the North West? Man City have Utd, Liverpool and Everton to compete with as well as Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan etc but their crowds grew immediately when the money came in.

We don't need to pick up that many new supporters immediately, just entice more of the people who class themselves as Villa fans to go to games; there are tens of thousands of them.

[Billy Walker]

Would need too much investment. Too many clubs nearby to make that happen

Wolves, Baggies, Blues, Stoke. Even Leicester and Leeds would all need to fall away into non-existance for us to become one of the biggest supported clubs in the country. If say 2 of them fell away into non-existance and we had over a decade's worth of constant success then yes the next generation of midlands supporters would probably be villains.

But if I were a neutral (and took FFP into consideration). I'd get a similar outcome and much quicker if I bought Newcastle. Only them and Sunderland up there, packed every week, get them challenging and I bet they already have a large supporter base around the rest of the country ( I know more Newcastle fans than Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea fans ).

Our advantage would be if we were a massive club we would have the best links in the country for neutral fans to visit. If we were going to be a club that had a massive following it is probably much easier for people to come to Villa Park than any other club in the country. 

Newcastle isn't really well situated be a truly huge club.  As you say, Brum has all the transport links, and given the high speed rail link, too, it will not be too far away from London and the continent in future years.  Newcastle (as fine a club as they are) don't have Villa's heritage either.  Of course I'm hugely biased, but in terms of the club, the infrastructure, the relatively low costs of stadium expansion and so on, Villa is the stand out club to buy.  I recall GH comparing Villa to PSG when he first became our manager, so, who knows, maybe on the continent they are aware of the potential of Villa?

I would have thought it was ludicrous to buy Man City when the City of Manchester/Salford is already hosting a club punching way above its natural limitations, but obviously people with huge amounts of money look upon such obstacles as challenges.  Trying to second guess what they look for in a club is task in itself.

[Percy McCarthy]

Agreed Chris. If we're talking about Man City type investment, we'd be selling out in no time to existing Villa fans. Does anyone seriously doubt that we'd sell out with players of the calibre of Aguero and Silva playing for us?

[Billy Walker]

Would need too much investment. Too many clubs nearby to make that happen

Wolves, Baggies, Blues, Stoke. Even Leicester and Leeds would all need to fall away into non-existance for us to become one of the biggest supported clubs in the country. If say 2 of them fell away into non-existance and we had over a decade's worth of constant success then yes the next generation of midlands supporters would probably be villains.

How is that any different to to the North West? Man City have Utd, Liverpool and Everton to compete with as well as Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan etc but their crowds grew immediately when the money came in.

We don't need to pick up that many new supporters immediately, just entice more of the people who class themselves as Villa fans to go to games; there are tens of thousands of them.

I agree.  Just in towns like Bromsgrove and Redditch you will find plenty of folk who would say they support Villa but never go.  There's plenty of Villa fans out there - more than enough to get behind the club if they felt the club was genuinely going to make a go of things.

[Concrete John]

Trying to second guess what they look for in a club is task in itself.

I you believe the story, Abramovich took a helicopter ride round London, pointed at Chelsea and said "I'll have that one."

I think the whole thing about potential is a bit mis-leading when these takeovers happen, as the ground will immediately swell with the glory hunters and tourist fans due to the players on show and not the club they are playing for. 

[Mazrim]

There are probably far more supporters of SKY 4? 5? teams in the midlands than there are Wolves, Baggies and Blues fans etc. For arguments sake, lets call them... despicable shadow dwelling rat people. All it takes is to get a fair swell of them to buy your merch instead of Man City and Chelsea's and the coffers start filling up, your commercial contracts become massively lucrative and so on. It's not nice or something to really be proud of yet a cities half the size of Birmingham (Manchester and Liverpool) enjoy far greater fanbases so it has to start somewhere. You just need a period of success and (especially now) some smart marketing.

Anyway, back to the rumours. It is of course entirely possible than there will not be a takeover as such but rather new investment. Perhaps Randy knows he cant do it alone anymore and so is courting investors. He still keeps the reins or a major share but it doesn't cost him as much personally.
Maybe from his position that would be ideal.

I have no desire to be rid of him as such. I have immense respect for him and he's done a lot of good things for us. I just think he needs help. In terms of footballing advice, expertise and most certainly finances too.

[Risso]

Can't see that happening at all to be honest. An investor would be investing in a loss making club with large debts that is being badly run. Far more likely that somebody might think that they'd do a far better job themself and buy the whole thing. If we get a rich arab who wants it as a Man City style plaything, they won't want a share of a club. If we get a decent businessman who wants to try and grow us commercially he isn't going to want somebody like Lerner around messing things up.

[Mazrim]

Fair comment. But it might be the only way somebody gets a piece of Aston Villa, should they want it.
I agree its best for all concerned if there is one direction and I don't mean that prepubescent virgin ensemble on the telly.