The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[kippaxvilla2]

Mate, don't misunderstand me, I didn't have a lot of time for Doug whatsoever and I still cringe when I hear the self publicist interviewed for reasons not known to man, but I am trying to draw a comparison to where things ended with him and Randy.

[dave.woodhall]

On the pitch, things look largely the same.

Off the pitch - nice training ground, nice pub, a decent restaurant, better work with charities. That's largely it.

Those things are better than they used to be, but are they particularly meaningful?

I believe SGT in his first spell was hauled over the coals by Doug for saying that the whole club didn't smell right and was going downhill fast.  Doug corrected him by saying that he accepted the playing side wasn't right but that commercially we were well run.  And actually, for the times he was talking about, I would agree with him.  So therefore, I don't think the net result of where we started under Randy versus where we finished under Doug aren't dissmilar.  And with far superior TV revenue than ever there was before.

No, no, a million times never. Please don't fall into the trap of thinking we were doing well off the field under Ellis, just because he said so and because our neighbours were doing much worse. This was a club where journalists were still having to ring the manager direct during training a few months before the start of the 21st century because we didn't employ a press officer, who at that time didn't have a customer database and didn't think it was worth trying to sell shirts thirty miles away.

[dave.woodhall]

I also think that the reason people are more critical and completely disillusioned than they ever were under Doug is that they after years and years and years of what was perceived as lack of ambition under said Doug, they finally had a man, in Randy who was going to change all that and we would never have to return to those dark old days.  I sense mainly a feeling of real disappointment and resentment that it simply hasn't turned out to be the case.

I agree with that. There was a feeling that without Doug every day would be the first day of Spring and we would automatically rise to our 'rightful' place. It wasn't that easy.

[adrenachrome]

I'm convinced that the biggest difference between Randy and Doug is that Doug was lucky.

When Doug regained power he said something along the lines of "I will never let this club get into such a financial position again". This was not too long after we had won the league and European Cup. Many supporters including myself thought that his was a barb aimed at Ron Saunders' bonus strategy i.e. we were too successful for own good. Nowadays, that view is regarded as simplistic and questions of marketing and commercial acumen to leverage the on-field success are raised.

As far as Randy's tenure is concerned, when the Man City takeover was first announced, I said "that is the end of that".  If the the thread is still online, go there for a laugh. People were saying money won't give them a successful team. Fergie said, Villa have a better chance at challenging thn Citeh. Mon has a good young team. He is a good manager. I am not making this up, go have a look-see. 

Randy gave it a good shot, he trusted people that maybe he should not have trusted, he always tried to do the right thing. When we find out to whom we have been sold, we can make a valid judgement on his period of stewardship. I believe, in the long of history, he will be remembered well.

[kippaxvilla2]

On the pitch, things look largely the same.

Off the pitch - nice training ground, nice pub, a decent restaurant, better work with charities. That's largely it.

Those things are better than they used to be, but are they particularly meaningful?

I believe SGT in his first spell was hauled over the coals by Doug for saying that the whole club didn't smell right and was going downhill fast.  Doug corrected him by saying that he accepted the playing side wasn't right but that commercially we were well run.  And actually, for the times he was talking about, I would agree with him.  So therefore, I don't think the net result of where we started under Randy versus where we finished under Doug aren't dissmilar.  And with far superior TV revenue than ever there was before.

No, no, a million times never. Please don't fall into the trap of thinking we were doing well off the field under Ellis, just because he said so and because our neighbours were doing much worse. This was a club where journalists were still having to ring the manager direct during training a few months before the start of the 21st century because we didn't employ a press officer, who at that time didn't have a customer database and didn't think it was worth trying to sell shirts thirty miles away.

Okay well I will accept that we are commercially better off based on that statement.  And the obvious plus point are the enviable training facilities. 

[dave.woodhall]

I know and apologise for the fact that so many threads turn into my lamentation of missed opportunities from 1982-2006 but I will always maintain that with vision and under the charge of a man who didn't still think a million pounds was a major transfer fee by the time it was an annual wage we could have been right up there. I never had the feeling under Randy that we would ever be more than best of the rest.

[Louzie0]

I saw all these posts tonight on the lack of a takeover thread and thought, 'ooooh'.
Instead of which, it's just history.

[Louzie0]

As the young people say, Hashtag a bit disappointed.

[DrGonzo]

I saw all these posts tonight on the lack of a takeover thread and thought, 'ooooh'.
Instead of which, it's just history.

Indeed.  A sad indictment of what Aston Villa is rapidly becoming, a history.

[Louzie0]

No, I just thought somebody might have bought us!

[Toronto Villa]

I saw all these posts tonight on the lack of a takeover thread and thought, 'ooooh'.
Instead of which, it's just history.

Indeed.  A sad indictment of what Aston Villa is rapidly becoming, a history.

a bit melodramatic don't you think?

[Ian.]

I saw all these posts tonight on the lack of a takeover thread and thought, 'ooooh'.
Instead of which, it's just history.

Indeed.  A sad indictment of what Aston Villa is rapidly becoming, a history.

a bit melodramatic don't you think?

Everything is History

[Ian.]

Wink!

[Monty]

I saw all these posts tonight on the lack of a takeover thread and thought, 'ooooh'.
Instead of which, it's just history.

Indeed.  A sad indictment of what Aston Villa is rapidly becoming, a history.

a bit melodramatic don't you think?

Everything is History

Except the Future, which is Mystery.

[Steve67]

In hindsight, I wish Randy had kept his trap shut, until the club was sold. The silence, the speculation, and the thought of more Lambert, crap signings and a probable lack of money etc, is strangling.