Randy Lerner

[TopDeck113]

In all the anguish that the Villa have inflicted this week, the most depressing thought occurred to me today:  the person who saw through Lerner (and Faulkner) first was O'Neill.  And perhaps in all the bile we've collectively spilt in his direction, we failed to see the bleeding obvious.

[Lastfootstamper]

In all the anguish that the Villa have inflicted this week, the most depressing thought occurred to me today:  the person who saw through Lerner (and Faulkner) first was O'Neill.  And perhaps in all the bile we've collectively spilt in his direction, we failed to see the bleeding obvious.

He coulda feckin said something, then!

[Risso]

I rather think there's more to be upset about in this article than worrying whether the late-of-Manchester Guardian thinks Birmingham is worthy of the accolade Second City or not.

Indeed.  Jesus, one throw away line is hardly anything to get upset about in the grand scheme of things.

[Jimbo]

Calm down, calm down. Everyone knows Birmingham is the real third city. Second is London. First is Manchester - only because nothing can come before first. If it could, Manchester would be that. Manchester invented New York and shat Tokyo. And Berlin.   

[OzVilla]

In all the anguish that the Villa have inflicted this week, the most depressing thought occurred to me today:  the person who saw through Lerner (and Faulkner) first was O'Neill.  And perhaps in all the bile we've collectively spilt in his direction, we failed to see the bleeding obvious.

I've thought this for 2 years, MON could see what numpties they were so decided to get out before the shit really starting flying - RL probably started breaking a few contractually agreed promises too, hence his subsequent litigation and settlement.

Might be putting 2 and 2 together to make 5 but knowing what we know now there's no way MON would have continued under these circumstances so didn't want to wait around to experience it in all it's glory.

Also hence MON's rather conciliatory tone towards us last season.

Don't get me wrong, MON still spunked the best opportunity a Villa Manager has had since Big Ron's days but if you look at it like that his decision was more based out of common sense than spite.

[Dave Cooper please]

Agree, gormless just about sums Lerner up.

What exactly is gorm? Is it bad not to have any gorm?

[pauliewalnuts]

Don't get me wrong, MON still spunked the best opportunity a Villa Manager has had since Big Ron's days but if you look at it like that his decision was more based out of common sense than spite.

That'd stand up to scrutiny if it weren't for the fact that MON and Lerner agreed the parameters under which we'd move forward at the start of the summer.

He promised he'd sell some players on, do some wheeling and dealing. He then spent the pre-season looking miserable (anyone remember the state of his face in the match against Valencia?), and doing very little, and flounced out five days before the start of the season.

Five days. That is spite, pure and simple.

Our problems are now increasingly less to do with O'Neill, but you're kidding yourself if you think this process didn't start with his utter fucking spite in doing what he did.

[pauliewalnuts]

*spits venomously on the floor*

[Jon Crofts]

Not Villa related but nice to see an owner coming clean,  Tony Fernandes of QPR, I'm friends with him on Facebook as he also owns Caterham Cars.

'Many fans attacking me. Doing our best. As I said we won't stop trying. As I have said many times I take all responsibility and will face the music'

There you go Randy, not hard was it?

[Dave Clark Five]

He promised he'd sell some players on, do some wheeling and dealing. He then spent the pre-season looking miserable (anyone remember the state of his face in the match against Valencia?), and doing very little, and flounced out five days before the start of the season.

It was prior to that Valencia game when he, supposedly, erupted at Sharon Barnhurst for having the cheek to phone him while he was in the changing rooms before the match. Something to do with some tickets for his wife. It was a very unsavoury incident. He stated that he wanted her sacked, we are told, but this did not go down well with Lerner.

[eastie]

He promised he'd sell some players on, do some wheeling and dealing. He then spent the pre-season looking miserable (anyone remember the state of his face in the match against Valencia?), and doing very little, and flounced out five days before the start of the season.

It was prior to that Valencia game when he, supposedly, erupted at Sharon Barnhurst for having the cheek to phone him while he was in the changing rooms before the match. Something to do with some tickets for his wife. It was a very unsavoury incident. He stated that he wanted her sacked, we are told, but this did not go down well with Lerner.

You old whistleblower! 
Beware - mons lawyer may be lurking .

[Rip Van We Go Again]

My MON anecdote is that my old Manager used to  knock round in a circle of friends, in which he was included. This was in his Leicester days. I asked her what she thought about him.

'He will argue black is blue that he's right about something, even if he's patently wrong, he never used to see anybody else's point of view at all, could be quite arrogant as well.'

[Malandro]

My MON anecdote is that my old Manager used to  knock round in a circle of friends, in which he was included. This was in his Leicester days. I asked her what she thought about him.

'He will argue black is blue that he's right about something, even if he's patently wrong, he never used to see anybody else's point of view at all, could be quite arrogant as well.'

I've got pretty much the opposite view to that but the chap I know is a friend and scouted for Martin (I know most on here will not have respect for one of Martins scouts)

No matter what people say about him, I think he was treated badly and had justification for what he did, not that its impact on us as fans was very nice.

[Toronto Villa]

In our collective depression let's not rewrite history as to why MON left. He didn't get his way and he fucked off. I supported him during his time here and felt was unfairly criticised at times. But he left us high and dry with 5 days to the season. That is inexcusable and in fact, I think he regrets it. We are biggest job he will ever have and had he just cooperated we'd still be top 6 or 7 in the PL. Instead he was who he is and while an admirable trait at times it led to him being too pig headed to see what still could have been. For all of us, it could have been so very different.

[Malandro]

In our collective depression let's not rewrite history as to why MON left. He didn't get his way and he fucked off. I supported him during his time here and felt was unfairly criticised at times. But he left us high and dry with 5 days to the season. That is inexcusable and in fact, I think he regrets it. We are biggest job he will ever have and had he just cooperated we'd still be top 6 or 7 in the PL. Instead he was who he is and while an admirable trait at times it led to him being too pig headed to see what still could have been. For all of us, it could have been so very different.
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In our collective depression let's not rewrite history as to why MON left. He didn't get his way and he fucked off. I supported him during his time here and felt was unfairly criticised at times. But he left us high and dry with 5 days to the season. That is inexcusable and in fact, I think he regrets it. We are biggest job he will ever have and had he just cooperated we'd still be top 6 or 7 in the PL. Instead he was who he is and while an admirable trait at times it led to him being too pig headed to see what still could have been. For all of us, it could have been so very different.

In our collective depression let's not rewrite history as to why MON left. He didn't get his way and he fucked off. I supported him during his time here and felt was unfairly criticised at times. But he left us high and dry with 5 days to the season. That is inexcusable and in fact, I think he regrets it. We are biggest job he will ever have and had he just cooperated we'd still be top 6 or 7 in the PL. Instead he was who he is and while an admirable trait at times it led to him being too pig headed to see what still could have been. For all of us, it could have been so very different.

Perhaps as a Villa fan it is inexcusable.