Bernstein and King Resign from the Board

[aev]

This report about Lerner being happy to sell for 75 million worries me.

If he's that desperate to get shot of the club, doesn't seem he'll be particularly fussy  about who he sells to.

M Neville spotted sticking on his shin pads and having a kick about in his mum's back garden.....

[PeterWithesShin]

Armand Hammer was in business from his early 20s. According to the interweb anyway.

[Irish villain]

This reminds me of Summer 2006 when the club was in similar limbo, we hadn't been relegated but came very close and the in the close season we had that bizarre player/manager statement criticising Ellis.

Things got better then for a few years so let's see what the summer brings.

We were in a far, far better place in 2006 than we have been for years.

[PaulWinch again]

As an aside doesn't this kind of make Hollis's position untenable given what he said yesterday? He can't be particularly pleased.

[auntiesledd]

Pat Murphy hinted at there being a buyer in place but they are getting fed up with Lerner's dithering, hence the reason Hollis is dealing with the buyers.  Unless I mis-heard him. Lerner has sacked Merrill Lynch. Moyes would like talks about the job but wasn't impressed with Paddy Reilly when Sherwood was sacked and Reilly went to talk to him then.

Meanwhile, on Talksport, Stan Collywobble is giving it large about how he would save the club and build an institution based on his recommendations.

Funnily enough SVC has just described the time when Reilly was sent over to poach Moyes from Real Sociadad. Apparently Reilly walked up to Moyes when he was on the training pitch; took out his card; said we wanted him as our manager; and Moyes essentially told him to 'sod-off' and go through the appropriate channels. Quelle surprise...   

[Steve67]

IV, it is not only an unbelievable post it is a deeply offensive one.  For "70 year olds" read Gay? Black? Paralysed?  Older people are just expected to smile and nod and quietly piss themselves when verbally assaulted.

FWIIW Armand Hammer, one of the world's wealthiest men, did not go into business until he:was 78.

Brian, I think it is very brave of you to come out on a forum like this and admit to us that you piss yourself.  FWIW, I shit the bed quite often.

Joke.  Not intended to offend, I promise. Gallows humour on an otherwise crap day.

[PeterWithe]

He only looked about 30 odd when he did 'You can't touch this'

[LeeB]

Jeez, some pious outrage on here tonight

Was it the same in 1968? "Don't spray "Board Must Go", it's unsightly graffiti and very naughty"

What exactly is the pitch invasion meant to achieve, barring a few people being able to get their picture taken on the pitch and the potential for a points deduction?

Not sure that a points deduction is much of a deterrent!

I'm sure no team has ever finished a season on minus points, if there's a record like that to be had we'll take it, no fucking sweat.

[paul_e]

This is all pretty shit news.

I think Lerner is easily distracted by new things which makes him change his mind a lot, his flip-flopping over managers and playing styles backs that up.

With that in mind it wouldn't surprise me if, after relegation was confirmed, he got an offer that he wants to accept.  He then calls a meeting with the footbal lboard to tel lthem to not worry about doing any restructure or finding a manager because he'd got a buyer and the new people would sort it.  Bernstein and King argue that carry on as we planned is the right approach just in case things don't work out and refused.

That ties up everything that's come out today and I still refuse to believe that he go to all the effort of employing a chairman, letting him create a new board and then just ignoring them, I honestly don't think he's malicious or thick-skinned enough to do something like that given that the reaction today is exactly what you'd expect it to be.

Sorry Paul, but I don't think there's much truth in that.

They've all accepted positions knowing that the club is up for sale, and that in the event of a sale, they'd probably be dispensed with.  If a sale was anywhere close, which I don't believe it is, intelligent men like King and Bernstein would know that there was no point in making changes.

That's not what I'm saying though, what I'm saying is that someone has offered something but it's far from set in stone but Lerner is acting as if it's going to go through in the next few weeks and putting the whole summer at risk by treating it as not his problem any more.  So Bernstein and King quit (the former because he sees his position as pointless and doesn't want to be involved with the fuck up of a summer he sees coming and the latter for partly the same and also so he can get a dig in about the club being fucked until Lerner leaves) and call him out as a parting shot with the club trying to save face by mentioning something about a sale but with nothing concrete to really back it up.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I think we should take out a super injunction to stop the media reporting on us. I am not being allowed to read about celebrity sex threesomes, and I don't want to read any more bad news coming out of Villa Park.

[Rudy65]

I don't want to sound ageist but do we really want a couple of 70 year olds making some fundamental decisions about the future of the club? They should have been non exec directors if any thing at all in the first place. I trust Bevington and Sir Brian. The news about sale is very hopeful as well.

FFS? Are you a bluenose

Thats crass

So youre pleased that a football man who has been there, seen it and done it in Bernstein has left, followed by a Villa fan in King with all his business and financial acumen has followed? Who else would you prefer?

Bevington is a marketing guy, like Fox, which is fine when they are one of a bigger team. But not someone to be in charge. Ditto Sir Brian who is an experienced football man but doesnt have the gravitas or business knowledge of Bernstein or King

[frank black]

He only looked about 30 odd when he did 'You can't touch this'

Was it toothpaste or big pants that made him a millionaire?

[ozzjim]

Melodramatic but I honestly think if a buyer does not materialise soon we are heading for oblivion

Strangely I feel like that tonight. Certainly think we are set for a decent time in the Championship or worse, similar to the last 10 years for Leeds

[Irish villain]

For the record if there are pitch invasions point the finger at Lerner for causing such despair to make people who feel powerless consider that action and not the despairing souls considering it. Eyes need to be trained on Lerner now.

[passport1]

This is all pretty shit news.

I think Lerner is easily distracted by new things which makes him change his mind a lot, his flip-flopping over managers and playing styles backs that up.

With that in mind it wouldn't surprise me if, after relegation was confirmed, he got an offer that he wants to accept.  He then calls a meeting with the footbal lboard to tel lthem to not worry about doing any restructure or finding a manager because he'd got a buyer and the new people would sort it.  Bernstein and King argue that carry on as we planned is the right approach just in case things don't work out and refused.

That ties up everything that's come out today and I still refuse to believe that he go to all the effort of employing a chairman, letting him create a new board and then just ignoring them, I honestly don't think he's malicious or thick-skinned enough to do something like that given that the reaction today is exactly what you'd expect it to be.

A very sensible post and considered post.

It does fit with rumours that there was/is a buyer who was waiting for official confirmation of relegation as this would determine the final price for the club.

Oh come on. In any takeover there is a period of due diligence when the business continues be run by the incumbent board. Positions do not become 'untenable' because of a takeover approach.