Tom Fox announced as new Villa CEO

[SoccerHQ]

This guy is no mug working at Arsenal for five years, obviously a very forward thinking club.

I'm interested as to the ways he'll attempt to increase revenue as this is an area where we struggle compared to similar sized clubs which puts more pressure on the wage bill.

Interesting times ahead, I like he hasn't gone for a crowd pleasing soundbite like we want to be in the champions league as we've heard that all before.

Small steps like playing in the europa league two years on the spin and who knows maybe that will impress a wealthy sugardaddy from Qatar/Malaysia that it won't take too much more to make the CL and a takeover can happen.

[tomd2103]

I don't think it'll take much to get us finishing comfortably top half every year.   We don't even have to spend that much, we just need to have some good sense and stability behind the scenes and the rest will take care of itself.

This guy seems to get it, and says all the right things, but obviously that doesnt mean a thing if you can't deliver.  Lets see how he does........

A fit and on form Benteke and Vlaar from here on in would probably see us there this season.   

[The Left Side]

It'd be nice to have a season without the threat of relegation again.

[Dante Lavelli]

He was Head of Scouting at the Dipperdome.

A google does not turn up much information about him.  Anyone know anything?
Tom Fox certainly speaks well, he seems to get the balance right between realistic goals and providing hope for the future.

[robbo1874]

Comes across well. Definitely there seems to be a feel good factor around the club right now. Randy is an odd fellow, from Fox's comments Randy sounds committed and engaged, wants to "have fun again" well fair play Randy.

agree with this. I thought he came across very well. Obviously what he said was heavily laden with business jargon and the references to sport as a business, I know is likely to grate with some. However, he's been brought in to look after our business affairs first and foremost and to enable  lambert to be in a position to deliver relative success on the playing side of things. I was impressed with what he had to say and I think he seems exactly what the club has needed since randy took over the club.

His comments about Lerner were slightly ambiguous though. Taken at face value, you could reasonably conclude that the sale has been shelved for the time being. I think further clarification is required about lerner's plans. Personally I think the sale is still being actively pursued and fox had to spin it to put his new employer in a good light and its a case of whilst he still is the owner he'll commit the necessary finance to protect his investment and make us solid top half again.

In all honesty it was kind of what I wanted to hear. A modicum of ambition and a desire to improve with a hint of how he'll go about it, but no rash promises that can't be delivered.

The club definitely seem to have drawn a line under the last few years and look to have a credible strategy to turn things round. We all want to win the league and have a crack at the champions league, but it's not going to happen any time soon, but in the scheme of things we look to be in a lot better place right through the club than we were at the end of last season- just 5 months ago.

[Ads]

Some fans will though, we just aren't that well supported. There is a good core of 25-30,000 who will always turn up, no matter what. The floating 10,000 who came out the woodwork under O'Neill need greater encouragement to turn up.

[DrGonzo]

 There really must be an air of optimism around the club at the moment.  Not 2 months back this interview would have been greeted with grunts and "proud history, bright future b**s***" style comments.  Seems to be your archetypal American CEO to me, a good soundbite and a big white smile.

 " .....it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."

Macbeth  Act 5 Scene 5 (?).

  Maybe that's my hangover talking, but I want to see some genuine results before I begin to believe that the worst is behind us.

[JUAN PABLO]

Who is Paddy Reilly?

Paddy was with us before he went to loverpoo , he was really our statistic man on players etc and then liverpoo  offered him more money

But villa have now offered him a better deal again , so he's back and with more responsibility

[mrastonvilla]

I like him. Even if he does look a bit like Ed Winchester from the fast show.

[eamonn]

Even if = especially as. Ed was a champ, except when he caught out by the tide.

[dave.woodhall]

Some fans will though, we just aren't that well supported. There is a good core of 25-30,000 who will always turn up, no matter what. The floating 10,000 who came out the woodwork under O'Neill need greater encouragement to turn up.

When we get a gate much above 30,000 you don't get many more Villa supporters. 30,000 will watch the Villa, the rest come for the game.

[Toronto Villa]

the floating 10k need a compelling reason to keep showing up for more. The other 30k are just beaten housewives convinced that there is nobody else out there for them and that their current bloke will change back to the man they once loved.

[tom jennings III]

the floating 10k need a compelling reason to keep showing up for more. The other 30k are just beaten housewives convinced that there is nobody else out there for them and that their current bloke will change back to the man they once loved.

Hope springs eternal...

[Louzie0]

The other 30k are just beaten housewives convinced that there is nobody else out there for them and that their current bloke will change back to the man they once loved.

Or


Lads who have retreated to dark rooms behind drawn blinds, with computers, tablets, iPads and PSs on the go 24/7, hoping against hope that someday, somehow, they will have a reason to emerge, blinking out of the twilight into a wonderful new dawn for Villa.

Just going for gender equality in desperation imagery, here.
This is an Equal Opportunities website.

Better happen soon, though.

[paulcomben]

Do not worry, fellow Villans. Stop worrying all together. Tom Fox says that we cannot see what is going on, but it will all be alright within five years. What a relief...?!? http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tom-fox-feature-aston-villa-8279153