The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[pauliewalnuts]

One thing I can say is that surely we can discount the likelihood that he has only just put the club for sale.

Look at the evidence:

- a season and more of drastic cost cutting
- the conversion recently of 90m of debt to equity
- him making that first statement a month ago

And, finally, what would be the point in making this announcement now?

To my mind, it looks as if the stories about interested buyers are true, but that the "deal done" stuff is a little wide of the mark.

What it all comes down to is, if there is a deal going through at the moment, then we had really better hope it gets done sooner rather than later, or it'll be a summer of drift, which is the absolute worst thing for us.

I suspect it will be weeks not days, otherwise he'd just have waited a few days before making any sort of announcement and announced the deal.

[Gregorys Boy]

I wish Randy all the best, and yes hopefully all this can be sorted out quickly.

[cdbearsfan]

I think that we're bollocksed.

[charleeco7]

Extremely worrying times. For me he's known for some time he was going to sell and has been actively seeking to do so.
This statement shows he's had no luck and has had to go down this route. The whole process will take some considerable time (see the Liverpool sale for instance). In the meantime he won't put anymore money in for players as why would he?
Oh bugger.

[john2710]

Read the statement. The existing staff will continue etc during this transition, not until a buyer is sourced etc. it's very much in the style of Lerner. He wouldn't come out and just say the club is for sale without having something lined up, it weakens your hand. I have absolutely no ITK but remain convinced this will be wrapped up quickly

That's my take in it too, Lerner knows he's going to take a substantial hit to get a sale & I trust him to do what's best for the club. Which is why there must be something in the pipeline, it makes no sense to create the uncertainty that this statement does unless it leads somewhere. We can then go our own ways.

[pauliewalnuts]

Apologies if someone has already posted this but there is also a statement on the club website from The General, no less:

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3825652,00.html

Jesus Christ, now that is in the realm of the spooky.

That's pretty bizarre.

At his age, and with his background, record and reputation especially in and around the US Marine Corps, where his father served, there simply are other calls to service for Randy Lerner. He has juggled several careers over the better part of the last 12 years and he knows that it is time for him to focus more narrowly in other areas. He has written intermittently over the years and I know he has been asked to do more. What's more, this country is in a time of great flux on many levels and he may make himself available for a role on some level. He and I have discussed his moving on from Villa and it has not been an easy decision. I know his love and passion for Aston Villa but I also know that he was raised to view his role as a custodian, rather than a personal identity, and that makes it more straightforward in his mind that it is time for the next guy to lead this cherished, ancient Club.

That makes it sound like he's joining the CIA or something.

[FrankyH]

Someone said to me last week that he suspects Randy has gone bonkers.

That reference to the Shunammite makes me wonder .....

When I looked up the definition of Shunammite, I had an image of Lerner as Eric Idle in Life of Brian saying he wants to known as Loretta.

[VinnieChase84]

Apologies if someone has already posted this but there is also a statement on the club website from The General, no less:

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3825652,00.html

This seems more clear that he's leaving us very soon

[Ads]

One thing I can say is that surely we can discount the likelihood that he has only just put the club for sale.

Look at the evidence:

- a season and more of drastic cost cutting
- the conversion recently of 90m of debt to equity
- him making that first statement a month ago

And, finally, what would be the point in making this announcement now?

To my mind, it looks as if the stories about interested buyers are true, but that the "deal done" stuff is a little wide of the mark.

What it all comes down to is, if there is a deal going through at the moment, then we had really better hope it gets done sooner rather than later, or it'll be a summer of drift, which is the absolute worst thing for us.

I suspect it will be weeks not days, otherwise he'd just have waited a few days before making any sort of announcement and announced the deal.

I agree with you Paulie. As you say, if a deal was close, then he may as well have waited a few days or a week or two to come out with this.

I suspect he has sounded buyers out at his billionaires yacht club and that BoA have probably been working for some time on it, maybe even a season or two.

As long as something can be sorted by July, we should be alright.

[Chris Stares]

Apologies if someone has already posted this but there is also a statement on the club website from The General, no less:

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3825652,00.html

Jesus Christ, now that is in the realm of the spooky.

That's pretty bizarre.

My thoughts too.  Just a lot of odd hyperbole in there.

[Ads]

Apologies if someone has already posted this but there is also a statement on the club website from The General, no less:

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3825652,00.html

Jesus Christ, now that is in the realm of the spooky.

That's pretty bizarre.

At his age, and with his background, record and reputation especially in and around the US Marine Corps, where his father served, there simply are other calls to service for Randy Lerner. He has juggled several careers over the better part of the last 12 years and he knows that it is time for him to focus more narrowly in other areas. He has written intermittently over the years and I know he has been asked to do more. What's more, this country is in a time of great flux on many levels and he may make himself available for a role on some level. He and I have discussed his moving on from Villa and it has not been an easy decision. I know his love and passion for Aston Villa but I also know that he was raised to view his role as a custodian, rather than a personal identity, and that makes it more straightforward in his mind that it is time for the next guy to lead this cherished, ancient Club.

That makes it sound like he's joining the CIA or something.

Running for office in the house for the GOP.

[Dennis Keeks]

I have read the General's statement several times now. And, quite frankly, I am scared.

[Quiet Lion]

Now is it me or are those statements from Randy and the General just a little bit strange ?

[Monty]

Maybe we're being bought by Merrill Lynch. It's going to get all Wolf of Wall Street down at VP.

[shipscat]

After the Generals statement,next stop for Randy is either NATO's Eastern flank or the Korean border