Randy Lerner - How will his reign be remembered?

[ChicagoLion]

I think he had the best of intentions.

It is a pity that he got screwed by O`Neil, it could have been s different.

Since then he has had a run of bad decisions and awful appointments.

He lost focus, interest and strategy.

A combination of (some) bad luck, being let down, poorly advised and poor decisions. Its a shame, it could should have been better than this.

[citizenDJ]

I feel that we'll always be wondering what Shunammite have been.

[dave.woodhall]

Did everything brilliantly...Acorns, Ground, pub, BMH, hospitality, everything...except the bit that really counts.

He did nothing with the ground in terms of capacity. Did a good job with the Holte pub. But, ultimately, he should have sold-up in 2010. Has left a second-rate squad behind.

By ground I am referring to the Holte Suite the concourse areas and the hospitality areas.  Doing anything to the ground in terms of capacity would have been a further waste of money.

So 8 years to fill in / refurbish a few areas under the stands? I hardly call that progressing the stadium. Deadly Doug did far more in terms of the upgrade of the stadium. It's been so long since Lerner attended a game (December 2012) he's probably forgotten what Villa Park looks like! In the end a failure on the pitch where it only really counts - fair play on the things he did/ supported off the field.

Ellis had to do the work he did because of the Taylor Report and much of it was financed by the Football Trust.

[Meanwood Villa]

I feel that we'll always be wondering what Shunammite have been.

Good stuff

[oldhill_avfc]

Not rich enough to buy success, not bright enough to earn it.

[badluckeric(gates)]

A genuine guy who had/has the club at heart and was shafted by MON.

[N'ZMAV]

Lacking Football knowledge.

[aj2k77]

Will the whole truth of the MON walkout ever come out?

[mark1968]

Think he'll be quickly forgotten. Just like he quickly forgot us.

[PaulWinch again]

I think how his reign is remembered may be determined by who he sells us to and when he sells us. If he sells us promptly and we get mega rich owners who respect our traditions and get us competing at the top of the league, he'll be remembered as steadying the ship and helping us into a new era of success. If he sells us to terrible owners he'll be remembered as the guy who opened the door to our ruin.

[ktvillan]

The guy seems decent and meant well, talked a good game and initially backed it up with funding. He did some good things off the pitch, but ultimately he and his chosen representatives lacked the necessary football nous (or any semblance of it) and arguably the business nous (how much did we lose on Beye?) to make us a success on the pitch.  I'm afraid he'll be remembered for wasting our best and possibly last  opportunity to establish ourselves in the top niche of clubs by not copping on sooner to MON's limitations (the Harewood signing was the first sign in my view) , and then making a series of quite horrendously bad decisions with the nadir being the sheer and utter lunacy of thinking McLeish was the man to take us forward.   At least he gave us some optimism for a while which had been lost under Ellis, but ultimately he took us back to square one and then some.

[QBVILLA]

Regarding the traditions. How does everyone feel  should we get mega rich owners who invest heavily into the team but want to re-name Villa Park, change the colours etc etc? Are our traditions more important than what is one the pitch?

[DeKuip]

Yes any new owner has to respect the club's traditions, and build on them.
We are Aston Villa, we play at Villa Park and wear claret and blue.
Nobody should ever feel they have the right to change that just because they're filthy rich, and if they think they can then they can fuck off back to where they came from and find something else to spend it on.

[exigo]

Proud history. Nice scarf.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Bet he's regretting having that shit badge tattooed on his leg