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Aston Villa - Now without added John Terry

Farewell message from Randy Lerner

Goodbye to all that…
Announcement of agreement to sell Aston Villa to Tony Xia

In spite of my personal affection for reading history I have come to trust the future more than the past. And when I refer to the 'past,' I do so lightly and lightheartedly. I refer to recent accounts - mostly in the press regarding the sale of the Club, that are so many miles from accuracy or truth that I can only assume that they too were written by people whose tongues were firmly embedded in their respective cheeks. It is football after all.

As I've said, it was my hope that ownership and custodianship of the Club would have been transferred some years ago when I knew that personal and professional matters made it impossible for me to contribute the time I did in my first five years with the Club. Time and immersion that is crucial to any formula for success. Still, fates are fickle in football so that we could claw back to safety last season, end up at Wembley at a Cup Final sitting amongst old friends!, and then spend the 2015/16 campaign at Bannockburn!

As I expect this to be my last message to supporters through the Villa website I thought it worth reiterating that my approach from the beginning, consistent with my longstanding affection for The Trinity, was in three parts: Villa Park infrastructure, Bodymoor Heath infrastructure and the Villa squad. I have a sneaking suspicion that my best chance of any tolerable memories in this regard will lie with the father and son of this trinity…! In the end, however, so many wonderful young players came through Villa during my time and it is to them and supporters alike whom I am indebted. Also, of course, I wish - without mentioning names, to say thank you to countless people with whom I worked at Villa Park and BMH who have touched me personally and from whom I have learned so much.

Finally, being conscious of the popular and dark pastime of wondering aloud how much was spent, or lost, I should like to think that I 'left behind' value which will hopefully endure and benefit this beloved old Club. In being sadly more than tone deaf, I'll not weakly risk trying to sound any positive notes. But what I will say is that if spending to restore and preserve the wonderful Jacobean Holte Hotel at the southern tip of the Ground, or researching and adding the Holte End mosaic as a nostalgic nod to that wonderful Leitch Stand of our past, add to the tally of personal losses then I can offer no counter argument other than to say I would do the same all over!

It is here that the agreement I wish to announce with Tony Xia ties into my short narrative: Tony has built his career around infrastructure. He is certainly a hugely successful businessman but importantly for me he is passionate about architecture, site design and planning. His commitment to invest in the squad, and leadership at Bodymoor Heath was expressed early on but as we visited together, and had some unrushed time to discuss his plans, Tony's excitement to develop Villa Park shone through. I remain convinced that this is a crucial part of the Club's future as it provides a critical, long-term second source of revenue and therefore sustainability for the Club from which squad-funding can potentially come.

It is with that that I want to say thank you, and to wish Tony every success going forward.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5580392,00.html

:confused:
 
Farewell message from Randy Lerner

Goodbye to all that…
Announcement of agreement to sell Aston Villa to Tony Xia

In spite of my personal affection for reading history I have come to trust the future more than the past. And when I refer to the 'past,' I do so lightly and lightheartedly. I refer to recent accounts - mostly in the press regarding the sale of the Club, that are so many miles from accuracy or truth that I can only assume that they too were written by people whose tongues were firmly embedded in their respective cheeks. It is football after all.

As I've said, it was my hope that ownership and custodianship of the Club would have been transferred some years ago when I knew that personal and professional matters made it impossible for me to contribute the time I did in my first five years with the Club. Time and immersion that is crucial to any formula for success. Still, fates are fickle in football so that we could claw back to safety last season, end up at Wembley at a Cup Final sitting amongst old friends!, and then spend the 2015/16 campaign at Bannockburn!

As I expect this to be my last message to supporters through the Villa website I thought it worth reiterating that my approach from the beginning, consistent with my longstanding affection for The Trinity, was in three parts: Villa Park infrastructure, Bodymoor Heath infrastructure and the Villa squad. I have a sneaking suspicion that my best chance of any tolerable memories in this regard will lie with the father and son of this trinity…! In the end, however, so many wonderful young players came through Villa during my time and it is to them and supporters alike whom I am indebted. Also, of course, I wish - without mentioning names, to say thank you to countless people with whom I worked at Villa Park and BMH who have touched me personally and from whom I have learned so much.

Finally, being conscious of the popular and dark pastime of wondering aloud how much was spent, or lost, I should like to think that I 'left behind' value which will hopefully endure and benefit this beloved old Club. In being sadly more than tone deaf, I'll not weakly risk trying to sound any positive notes. But what I will say is that if spending to restore and preserve the wonderful Jacobean Holte Hotel at the southern tip of the Ground, or researching and adding the Holte End mosaic as a nostalgic nod to that wonderful Leitch Stand of our past, add to the tally of personal losses then I can offer no counter argument other than to say I would do the same all over!

It is here that the agreement I wish to announce with Tony Xia ties into my short narrative: Tony has built his career around infrastructure. He is certainly a hugely successful businessman but importantly for me he is passionate about architecture, site design and planning. His commitment to invest in the squad, and leadership at Bodymoor Heath was expressed early on but as we visited together, and had some unrushed time to discuss his plans, Tony's excitement to develop Villa Park shone through. I remain convinced that this is a crucial part of the Club's future as it provides a critical, long-term second source of revenue and therefore sustainability for the Club from which squad-funding can potentially come.

It is with that that I want to say thank you, and to wish Tony every success going forward.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5580392,00.html

:confused:

What an utterly, utterly bizarre statement. I struggled to read to the end of it, and I'm still not sure I understand what he was saying, or whether he should have bothered at all.

Interesting statements about the new owner :
Tony has built his career around infrastructure. He is certainly a hugely successful businessman but importantly for me he is passionate about architecture, site design and planning.
Tony's excitement to develop Villa Park shone through.
Those statements would not fill me with joy if I had the misfortune to be a Villa fan.
And from the BBC article linked below : ""If you look at Tony Xia's business career in China he has been instrumental in the building and regeneration of over 60 new cities,"
It all makes him sound like a property developer rather than someone with an interest in Villa as a football club. We might laugh, but it is sad to see clubs with such a long standing history becoming playthings for the rich. But I guess we are already there.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36333520

Yes, he does have ambitions :D
"Dr Xia's immediate objective is to return Aston Villa to the Premier League and then to have the Club finish in the top six, bringing European football back to Villa Park. He plans to make Aston Villa the most famous football Club in China with a huge fan base."
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...enham-in-premier-league-top-six-a3251596.html
 
What an utterly, utterly bizarre statement. I struggled to read to the end of it, and I'm still not sure I understand what he was saying, or whether he should have bothered at all.
Sounds to me like he bought the club planning to invest time and money. Soon afterwards he couldn't but no fudger wanted to buy the club so he was stuck with it.
 
That's about it, although he doesn't mention the money part. It seems more likely he withdrew time and money when he realised it would be more expensive than he through to break the top four. Without City's new owners and our resurgence, he might have remained more committed.
 

Another failed manager from one of the other Birmingham clubs. This won't end well.

He didn't really fail at West Brom. Didn't exceed all expectations but didn't fall short of them either.

I have no idea how he did at Schalke but he has got a Champions League winners medal. Whether you believe that was down to luck or not is a different matter but certainly can't be any worse than Tim Sherwood.
 
He didn't really fail at West Brom. Didn't exceed all expectations but didn't fall short of them either.

I have no idea how he did at Schalke but he has got a Champions League winners medal. Whether you believe that was down to luck or not is a different matter but certainly can't be any worse than Tim Sherwood.
Is anybody?
 
Former Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has admitted that he would be interested in the vacant managerial position at Villa Park.

Sherwood left last October after a poor start to the Premier League season but under a year on, the club are now searching for another boss having sacked Roberto Di Matteo.

The former Spurs coach worked under former chairman Randy Lerner but says he would be open to working under new chairman Dr Tony Xia.

Speaking to TalkSport, Sherwood said: "I don’t know these owners. I was there under a different regime.

"The guy I was with (Randy Lerner) wanted out so it was a really difficult situation for me.

"When you go into a club where someone wants to really pick it up and take it forward then it’s a great opportunity for any young manager.

"I’d be no different to anyone else (in being interested)."

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spo...ews/former-aston-villa-manager-wants-11970250

:D
 
Former Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has admitted that he would be interested in the vacant managerial position at Villa Park.

Sherwood left last October after a poor start to the Premier League season but under a year on, the club are now searching for another boss having sacked Roberto Di Matteo.

The former Spurs coach worked under former chairman Randy Lerner but says he would be open to working under new chairman Dr Tony Xia.

Speaking to TalkSport, Sherwood said: "I don’t know these owners. I was there under a different regime.

"The guy I was with (Randy Lerner) wanted out so it was a really difficult situation for me.

"When you go into a club where someone wants to really pick it up and take it forward then it’s a great opportunity for any young manager.

"I’d be no different to anyone else (in being interested)."

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spo...ews/former-aston-villa-manager-wants-11970250

:D

Odd he'd be too hasty; i thought he'd be sitting patiently waiting for the England job..
 
Former Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has admitted that he would be interested in the vacant managerial position at Villa Park.

Sherwood left last October after a poor start to the Premier League season but under a year on, the club are now searching for another boss having sacked Roberto Di Matteo.

The former Spurs coach worked under former chairman Randy Lerner but says he would be open to working under new chairman Dr Tony Xia.

Speaking to TalkSport, Sherwood said: "I don’t know these owners. I was there under a different regime.

"The guy I was with (Randy Lerner) wanted out so it was a really difficult situation for me.

"When you go into a club where someone wants to really pick it up and take it forward then it’s a great opportunity for any young manager.

"I’d be no different to anyone else (in being interested)."

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spo...ews/former-aston-villa-manager-wants-11970250

:D
And I thought comedy was dead.
 
Not only have they signed that piece of brick, they've made him captain.


This guy has the right idea:

Over the course of almost 30 years I’ve been to Villa Park every season bar one. I saw David Platt score against Inter Milan in the Uefa Cup, Mark Bosnich make three saves in a penalty shootout, Ugo Ehiogu crash a thumping header into the roof of the net against Spurs. I watched the great Paul McGrath, the dazzling Tony Daley, and the heart-on-the-sleeve Ian Taylor. I sang about Dwight Yorke, Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

But this season, I won’t be there. Because this season, Villa have signed John Terry.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/05/aston-villa-fan-boycott-john-terry-racist-past
 
Did the Duke of Cambridge really say that ?

Can't have been David Cameron, as he'd have been at Upton Park
 
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