Randy Lerner

[Ad@m]

You have to say there are some short memories on here.

Three years ago it was almost unanimous that Randy was the best chairman any club could possibly hope for.  It wasn't just Villa fans saying it, fans of other clubs like Man U, Liverpool, etc were saying it too.

Go back to HDE days and there were annual protests against him and he was virtually universally hated.

Present day and to some posters Randy's now an unmitigated disaster and they long for the days Herbert was in charge.  Talk about changing history.

[pestria]

Incidentally, re the money he's invested.

There is one argument that he's poured lots of money into the club - and he has - and that makes him a good chairman. It does not. Investing the money wisely and making it work properly for the club is what makes a good chairman. Randy hasn't done that.

I'd also throw in the way they disengaged with us lost them a lot of respect from me. For four years, we had General Krulak on here constantly telling us how they were in it through thick and thin, no worries. They told us not to worry our little heads about the money when we raised concerns.

And what happened the first time thick turned into thin? They disappeared overnight.

The end result was that all that interaction with the fans looked like empty marketing, and that as soon as they stopped getting anything out of it, they were off.

I entirely understand the fact that General Krulak got a new job, but having asked us to reopen his thread, he then disappeared. Not a single message to say he couldn't be here any more. We all get busy, but really, would a two line message have taken that long?

From that point, the disengagement was plain to see.

Spot On - as always!

One further point re. the comments about his 'investment' vs. HDE taking money out of the club.

One way or another Lerner has spent between £200-£250m on avfc.  Despite his gross mismanagement he's likely to get the bulk of that back should he sell.

HDE made his gains in the main by selling to Lerner, not from the coffers of the club.  Of course he took a decent salary, but so does Faulkner and no doubt a few more of lLerner's team.  Ellis had a myriad of faults and in his dotage was as out of touch as Lerner, but at least he a had a semblance of business and football chairmanship acumen.

[LeeB]

Just fuck off with this Doug shit, whatever Lerner's faults he's got a long way to go before he ever stoops to Ellis levels.

[pestria]

Just fuck off with this Doug shit, whatever Lerner's faults he's got a long way to go before he ever stoops to Ellis levels.

Care to elaborate?

[Ad@m]

HDE made his gains in the main by selling to Lerner, not from the coffers of the club.  Of course he took a decent salary, but so does Faulkner and no doubt a few more of lLerner's team.

Are you on a windup?

Ellis was the first football club chairman to pay himself a salary - taking money out of a club in this way was his idea.  I haven't got the numbers to hand but wasn't he paying himself a couple of million a year by the end?

Also, he made millions when he floated the club, sold a load of his shares for £12 (I think) to fans before those shares plummeted in value to less than a tenth of that during his chairmanship.  The fans lost all that money while Ellis became a multi-millionaire off it.

[saunders_heroes]

You have to say there are some short memories on here.

Three years ago it was almost unanimous that Randy was the best chairman any club could possibly hope for.  It wasn't just Villa fans saying it, fans of other clubs like Man U, Liverpool, etc were saying it too.

Go back to HDE days and there were annual protests against him and he was virtually universally hated.

Present day and to some posters Randy's now an unmitigated disaster and they long for the days Herbert was in charge.  Talk about changing history.

Things change. So what?

[eastie]

You have to say there are some short memories on here.

Three years ago it was almost unanimous that Randy was the best chairman any club could possibly hope for.  It wasn't just Villa fans saying it, fans of other clubs like Man U, Liverpool, etc were saying it too.

Go back to HDE days and there were annual protests against him and he was virtually universally hated.

Present day and to some posters Randy's now an unmitigated disaster and they long for the days Herbert was in charge.  Talk about changing history.

Things change. So what?

This is now , 3 years ago we were challenging the top 4 , now we are once again battling relegation , we must look at the here and now .

Randy did a decent job in his first 3 years , since then he not been doing a decent job.

[rutski]

You have to say there are some short memories on here.

Three years ago it was almost unanimous that Randy was the best chairman any club could possibly hope for.  It wasn't just Villa fans saying it, fans of other clubs like Man U, Liverpool, etc were saying it too.

Go back to HDE days and there were annual protests against him and he was virtually universally hated.

Present day and to some posters Randy's now an unmitigated disaster and they long for the days Herbert was in charge.  Talk about changing history.

there is one thing that really pisses me off and that there are a lot of folk who change their mind and opinions with a change of the wind. Their memories get distorted and will forget what they stood for andBelieved only a few weeks before. Every one has the option to change their mind but for some they do not have any courage to believe their convictions. this if not just about this post but can be placed against many of the posts on here.

[pestria]

HDE made his gains in the main by selling to Lerner, not from the coffers of the club.  Of course he took a decent salary, but so does Faulkner and no doubt a few more of lLerner's team.

Are you on a windup?

Ellis was the first football club chairman to pay himself a salary - taking money out of a club in this way was his idea.  I haven't got the numbers to hand but wasn't he paying himself a couple of million a year by the end?

Also, he made millions when he floated the club, sold a load of his shares for £12 (I think) to fans before those shares plummeted in value to less than a tenth of that during his chairmanship.  The fans lost all that money while Ellis became a multi-millionaire off it.

Dont't know about his final salary, but I doubt it was that much different from what the current management team are paid.

As for the shares.  All existing shareholders got the same deal/opportunity: convert to the new shares at the rate you mention and then hold, sell or buy more as you please.  Such is modern life that investors made losses - nobody forced fans to be investors.

[eastie]

You have to say there are some short memories on here.

Three years ago it was almost unanimous that Randy was the best chairman any club could possibly hope for.  It wasn't just Villa fans saying it, fans of other clubs like Man U, Liverpool, etc were saying it too.

Go back to HDE days and there were annual protests against him and he was virtually universally hated.

Present day and to some posters Randy's now an unmitigated disaster and they long for the days Herbert was in charge.  Talk about changing history.

there is one thing that really pisses me off and that there are a lot of folk who change their mind and opinions with a change of the wind. Their memories get distorted and will forget what they stood for andBelieved only a few weeks before. Every one has the option to change their mind but for some they do not have any courage to believe their convictions. this if not just about this post but can be placed against many of the posts on here.

I think people had every right to be happy and optimistic after the Liverpool win, however the last week has been horrendous with the worst result in our history followed by 2 home thrashings, it's natural people will reassess their opinion after such results.

[LeeB]

Just fuck off with this Doug shit, whatever Lerner's faults he's got a long way to go before he ever stoops to Ellis levels.

Care to elaborate?

Are you new to supporting us?

[pestria]

Just fuck off with this Doug shit, whatever Lerner's faults he's got a long way to go before he ever stoops to Ellis levels.

Care to elaborate?

Are you new to supporting us?

Relatively - I've only had my first season ticket in 1969 and so can only comment on three or foir chairmen.  You?

[LeeB]

HDE made his gains in the main by selling to Lerner, not from the coffers of the club.  Of course he took a decent salary, but so does Faulkner and no doubt a few more of lLerner's team.

Are you on a windup?

Ellis was the first football club chairman to pay himself a salary - taking money out of a club in this way was his idea.  I haven't got the numbers to hand but wasn't he paying himself a couple of million a year by the end?

Also, he made millions when he floated the club, sold a load of his shares for £12 (I think) to fans before those shares plummeted in value to less than a tenth of that during his chairmanship.  The fans lost all that money while Ellis became a multi-millionaire off it.

Dont't know about his final salary, but I doubt it was that much different from what the current management team are paid.

As for the shares.  All existing shareholders got the same deal/opportunity: convert to the new shares at the rate you mention and then hold, sell or buy more as you please.  Such is modern life that investors made losses - nobody forced fans to be investors.

Unreal.

[pestria]

HDE made his gains in the main by selling to Lerner, not from the coffers of the club.  Of course he took a decent salary, but so does Faulkner and no doubt a few more of lLerner's team.

Are you on a windup?

Ellis was the first football club chairman to pay himself a salary - taking money out of a club in this way was his idea.  I haven't got the numbers to hand but wasn't he paying himself a couple of million a year by the end?

Also, he made millions when he floated the club, sold a load of his shares for £12 (I think) to fans before those shares plummeted in value to less than a tenth of that during his chairmanship.  The fans lost all that money while Ellis became a multi-millionaire off it.

Dont't know about his final salary, but I doubt it was that much different from what the current management team are paid.

As for the shares.  All existing shareholders got the same deal/opportunity: convert to the new shares at the rate you mention and then hold, sell or buy more as you please.  Such is modern life that investors made losses - nobody forced fans to be investors.

Unreal.

In what way?

[DB]

You have to say there are some short memories on here.

Three years ago it was almost unanimous that Randy was the best chairman any club could possibly hope for.  It wasn't just Villa fans saying it, fans of other clubs like Man U, Liverpool, etc were saying it too.

Go back to HDE days and there were annual protests against him and he was virtually universally hated.

Present day and to some posters Randy's now an unmitigated disaster and they long for the days Herbert was in charge.  Talk about changing history.

Things change. So what?

This is now , 3 years ago we were challenging the top 4 , now we are once again battling relegation , we must look at the here and now .

Randy did a decent job in his first 3 years , since then he not been doing a decent job.

No, Randy didn't do a decent job - we thought he was but he gave MON all the money and let him loose buying whoever (from the British Isles) he wanted. Then he realised MON had spunked it on high wages & average players etc. If he had any business brain he would have stopped it or taken more control earlier on. We may not have found ourselves in this position now, fighting relegation.