The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[ciggiesnbeer]

Does everybody have a sore head today after celebrating the amazing efforts of the players and management in achieving a goal less draw against Southampton at Villa Park? We're in dreamland.

lol

[dicedlam]

I read it that our premier league status is paramount to anything that might be going on. Why the statements otherwise?
I also reckon that it may be investment rather than a sale that will also leave Lerner still with the controlling interest.

[Hairbandinho]

If this buyout happens, and the rumors of a few us billionaires...that still won't put us in the same financial power as man city and chelsea

[Trinitymiddle]

As Matt Kendrick said on twitter, it would be nice amidst all the back slapping of Lambert, Faulkner and all the players, if Lerner could manage one sentence of thanks for the fans. 35,000plus of whom turn out every fortnight to watch some of the worst football I have had the misfortune to see down there in nearly 40 years of going down.

Out attendances this season have amazed me, as has our football - but for different reasons.

[FrankyH]

Randy Lerner has lost loads of his own money tying to raise us up a level and it's backfired, he's then cut the money off trying to stop us haemorrhaging so much cash and seemingly has been looking for a buyer in the meantime. Can't criticise him for that, he's written off loans and absorbed the loss personally, he's also tried to leave us in a solvent position.

All of that is true, but:

1. He was the bloke writing the cheques and going mental with MON, so he should really have not let the situation get so insane in the first place. He knew the figures, we didn't. We raised it with the General, he told us trust them, they knew what they were doing with the cash. Clearly not true.

2. When it came time to slow down the spending, he did it way too suddenly, so much so that we have now had three years (the most generous analysis) of desperately fighting not to get relegated. You can't go from the players of the standard we signed from 2006-10 to the Tonevs, Bennetts and Lunas of this world so quickly and not expect to struggle. Highly dangerous.

I appreciate him in lots of ways, he spent a lot of money, he wrote off debts, he got stung by various people, but ultimately, it's not just about writing cheques, it is about running the club properly, as best you can, ensuring it competes as best as it can, and that it retains value in the assets it has.

We have spent hundreds of millions of pounds over eight years to end up *exactly* where we were when he rocked up, except arguably with a worse squad.

Thans for writing the cheques, but jesus, maybe you should have either run it a bit better yourself, or appointed really clued up people to do it for you, then you wouldn't have wasted quite so much money.

Yep, he's a well intentioned bloke who is not very good at running professional sports clubs. I doubt he'll try it again. I certainly wouldn't advise it.

Reading these posts I thought about the scene in Life of Brian... What have the Romans (Lerner) ever done for us .

A well intentioned guy who has done some great things , the Holte pub for one.Sadly for us and him it has not really happened on the pitch.

[eamonn]

I think he wants to stay but belatedly realises he needs help, financially and/or football administratingly.

[not3bad]

Does everybody have a sore head today after celebrating the amazing efforts of the players and management in achieving a goal less draw against Southampton at Villa Park? We're in dreamland.

Genuinely made me laugh out loud.

I'm a fucking wreck today.

Me and my mates were out driving around town in a Fiat 500, bibbing the horn, with 12 people stood on the roof, waving a huge claret and blue flag until 3am this morning. What a night that was, a match that will live long in the memory.

Such memories, I remember it like it was yesterday. That bit where someone kicked a ball.

[Toronto Villa]

I think he came with very good intentions and it hasn't worked quite spectacularly. Football, where there is no salary cap, no real obstacle to new outside investment, is just a very expensive pursuit. Either you are in for the long run at the very top, and continue to spend accordingly, or from the very start have a dedicated and responsible plan. We started with the first version and changed to the complete opposite too quickly and it all came crashing down. Good luck to him wherever he goes from here but this news I hope is exactly wheat we all need. It will be clean broom from top to bottom, so lets see where this leaves us.

[preston28]

Apologies if posted before or elsewhere but this on the OS:

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3777796,00.html

He will address the rumours of selling after the season has ended it seems!

[pauliewalnuts]

Apologies if posted before or elsewhere but this on the OS:

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3777796,00.html

He will address the rumours of selling after the season has ended it seems!

Not wanting to start an argument, but why didn't you just take a cursory glance at the thread you're posting on before posting it yourself?

It's pretty obvious it has been posted.

[silhillvilla]

I'd rather have a Lerner than some attention seeking chairman or some corrupt billionaire from wherever. Ideally he will bring on board backing and stay at the helm.

[mozza]

As Matt Kendrick said on twitter, it would be nice amidst all the back slapping of Lambert, Faulkner and all the players, if Lerner could manage one sentence of thanks for the fans. 35,000plus of whom turn out every fortnight to watch some of the worst football I have had the misfortune to see down there in nearly 40 years of going down.

Out attendances this season have amazed me, as has our football - but for different reasons.

you beat me to it - spot on

[Richard E]

I'd rather have a Lerner than some attention seeking chairman or some corrupt billionaire from wherever. Ideally he will bring on board backing and stay at the helm.

To be honest after the purgatory of the last 4 years I couldn't give a toss if the next owners are a consortium consisting of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot if it results in success.

[OCD]

He always viewed himself as a custodian of the club and said when he realises that he can't take us to where we want to go, that he'll find the people who can. It does sound like he's going to sell up and I just hope the people who come in, know what they're doing.

[Nelly]

As much as this makes me hopeful for the future of the club and what we might still achieve in the game (hopefully soon), I can't help but feel a bit sad at Lerner selling. If he does, I mean. That summer where he'd just taken over and O'Neill became manager - we seemed invincible and we had some right good times. So if he does sell and I ever meet the bloke, I'd shake Lerner's hand.