Tony’s Statement.

[Damo70]

Lerner was totally convinced he was the real deal.

Which should have been warning enough.

Was Lerner convinced? Maybe once he had a get out and knew he could walk away with his cut he didn't care. He didn't care much in the last couple of years of owning us so why would he care about who he sold us to.

[dave.woodhall]

Lerner was totally convinced he was the real deal.

Which should have been warning enough.

Was Lerner convinced? Maybe once he had a get out and knew he could walk away with his cut he didn't care. He didn't care much in the last couple of years of owning us so why would he care about who he sold us to.

We wanted him to sell for long enough; it's a bit much to expect him to bother about who he sold to. 

[Damo70]

Lerner was totally convinced he was the real deal.

Which should have been warning enough.

Was Lerner convinced? Maybe once he had a get out and knew he could walk away with his cut he didn't care. He didn't care much in the last couple of years of owning us so why would he care about who he sold us to.

We wanted him to sell for long enough; it's a bit much to expect him to bother about who he sold to.

Idealistic I know but I would hope he had some sense of 'duty of care' as to who he sold us to. Some club owners have been decent enough to act like that. Although admittedly many haven't.

[KevinGage]

Well according to Randolph's statement on leaving in 2016, he held off on other deals because they weren't the right custodians to continue his legacy.

Xia's grandiose plans - which envisioned revitalising the club as of part turning Aston and Lozells into Mar-a-Lago or summat - made him the preferred bidder.

[kippaxvilla2]

Well Tone certainly found the right owners so thanks for that!

[brian green]

Judge a man by the shoes he wears say I.   How could anybody not be a chancer who wears trainers with a cheap three piece suit?  And Poundstretcher recycled pop bottle socks in all probability.

[ASHTONVILLA]

Certainly a chancer, but had we gone up it might well have worked out. Can't help liking the bloke and hope he gets out in one piece.

[dave.woodhall]

Certainly a chancer, but had we gone up it might well have worked out. Can't help liking the bloke and hope he gets out in one piece.

A con man who took the Villa within hours of administration. What would he have to do for you not to like him?

[frank black]

Certainly a chancer, but had we gone up it might well have worked out. Can't help liking the bloke and hope he gets out in one piece.

A con man who took the Villa within hours of administration. What would he have to do for you not to like him?

Absolutely, a fraud of an owner.

[ASHTONVILLA]

Certainly a chancer, but had we gone up it might well have worked out. Can't help liking the bloke and hope he gets out in one piece.

A con man who took the Villa within hours of administration. What would he have to do for you not to like him?

Not sold us on.

Oh don't get me wrong, he was an awful owner and I'd far rather who we have now! I am very grateful for the current ownership. I just can't summon up any great personal animosity towards him, and in his way he was quite likeable for a while. In any case I wouldn't wish Chinese prison on anyone.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

The ageing board of the 1960s were outdated, misguided, which over a number of years culminated in nearly sending us under.
Ellis spent decades on and off missing the big boat, interfering too much with a corner shop mentality instead of rolling the dice more.
The Bendalls were hands off, put the money in and we got some fantastic success. You can debate the financial state we were in when they went.
Ellis at least when he left seemed to have put us into good hands with Lerner coming in.
Lerner failed but we had some half decent times for a while until he was shown to have lost the plot.
Xia put all the chips on red and it came up black. He managed in a very short time to do what the old directors of the 1960s took many years to do.
Without doubt he was the very worst to run the show.

[Risso]

Lerner was totally convinced he was the real deal.

Which should have been warning enough.

Lerner didn't give a stuff. Just wanted to recoup as much lost cash as possible.

[Brazilian Villain]

Well according to Randolph's statement on leaving in 2016, he held off on other deals because they weren't the right custodians to continue his legacy.

Xia's grandiose plans - which envisioned revitalising the club as of part turning Aston and Lozells into Mar-a-Lago or summat - made him the preferred bidder.

Tone may have had good intentions but always better to have a billionaire in charge.

[London Villan]

With xia in charge we were 24hrs away from administration and oblivion. Id love to know how he managed to pay lerner anything.

[eamonn]

Lozells twinned with Mar A Lago, can you imagine?!