jackbauer24

For reference purposes only (draw your own conclusions) Bolton agreed takeover 22nd Feb, ratified (with conditions) 8th March 2016 Crawley Town takeover approx 15th Feb, ratified 9th March 2016 Leicester City takeover 12 August, ratified 22 Oct 2010 (failed test original test on 25th August) Doncaster Rovers takeover 19th June, refused 18th July (one month) Reading takeover 12th August, ratified 19th September 2014 ASTON VILLA takeover 18th May, awaiting confirmation but based on the little research above we're probably looking at early to mid-June for ratification one way or the other and probably shouldn't be reading anything in to it yet. Besides, if it goes through great, if it doesn't we're lucky there a stringent checks to save us from our own ineptitude!

You know how you can't stand the stupid person at the office who brown noses the boss pathetically, who has to react to every suggestion in an overtly negative or positive way and then requires loads of work and attention just to keep them happy? They make a noise all day over everything and don't just chill the f*ck out. That's the dog. On the other side of the room is the self sufficient person who couldn't give a crap about what's going on unless it effects them directly. They don't require any attention but will appreciate it when someone pays them a compliment (as long as you don't go overboard). As long as the respect is mutual, they will work well with you and strike up a solid friendship. That's the cat. I don't like stupid, loud, annoying attention seekers at work. So I don't look for that in a pet at home! A dog is so stupid it does tricks and panders to get the exact same rewards a cat does. A dog is so stupid it can't even go for a walk, get clean or even sort out its own sh*t without help from a human. A dog is so stupid it reacts to the postman even though he comes to the house at the same time every day. A dog is stupid. Yeah, I might be a cat person... I can respect independence, cynicism and laziness far more than stupidity!

For me, he's in that second band of players who might be good enough in the right environment but I wouldn't be gutted if they left. He doesn't qualify for the group of players we MUST get rid of (Lescott, Richardson, Sanchez etc) and clearly not in the group of players most would like to keep (Amavi, Ayew, Traore etc). I feel there probably is a good chance he could be great but the environment at Villa has hit him even harder than most. He has more potential than the likes of Clark and Baker - we know their upper limit, but I suspect there's more to Okore than we've seen due to injuries, manager upheavals and relegation. But, if he leaves I won't be upset.

Slight aside, now he's turned us down, but Benitez staying at Newcastle makes Moyes decision not to drop down just that little bit more odd. So either he thinks he's better than that (and therefore Benitez), he isn't capable of doing the job (unlikely) or, most worryingly, something to do with the impending set up worried him enough to stay unemployed. I just want the manager in now - I know the takeover has slowed things down but is this the longest period we've not had a permanent manager in place? We're going to be approaching TWO MONTHS soon (he officially left end of March but really he'd left a month before that, it was just agreeing paperwork). Come on, get it done this week.

My 'backup teams' goes as far as looking for their results but, much like a Man City 'fan' from America, I couldn't name a single player! Tranmere Rovers - simply because I STILL feel for them a bit due to THAT semi-final! Shrewsbury Town - town I was brought up in largely, and my school overlooked the Gay Meadow so, as my mum worked there, I could watch games for free sometimes Lincoln City - My 'true' second team, only other football shirt I own but that's partially because it had my Uni's logo on too (despite having long since left) AFC Wimbledon - purely because I want them to get above MK Dons - still can't believe that was allowed to happen. Internationally... Sweden - Mellberg!

Clark is basically no better than Baker. If someone wants Clark for £5m we should sell him, we've got an instant free replacement in Baker who's had successful experience in the Championship. That forgets the fact we might have money to spend on improvements. Let's be honest here, there are very few players we would like to keep so if anyone is willing to pay the likes of £5m for Clark or £7m for Gana we should take the money and run. I think both of them could easily be replaced and more likely improved on for that kind of money.

If anyone wants to pay anywhere near £7m for Gueye I'd snap their hand off! We considerably over paid for him so to get anything like that money back would be fantastic. He's taken an age to settle, his form is sporadic at best, his passing is atrocious, his tackling stats really reflect the number of times he's lost the ball and had to dive in to try to recover it, he's never going to score many goals and rarely creates chances. If he joins up with another Premier League team he'll be shown up very quickly, weirdly he's kind of been forgiven for being rubbish just because the rest of the team are even worse. He's just slightly better rubbish, but still rubbish! I keep reading he's 'one of the few to come out the season with any credit' which is just untrue - Ayew, Amavi definitely have, a few others one might make an argument for, but Gana? No way. Sell. Sell. Sell.

It amazes me that people are that adverse to any of the three front runners for the job. I can understand preferences but to think any of the names would be an appalling gamble is ridiculous. We're talking about managers who've had success in the Premier League, or Champions League. We're talking about managers who have managed Man Utd and Chelsea. We're a CHAMPIONSHIP team. Let's be little realistic here, any of those three names are somewhat of a coup for us in our current position. Yes the future maybe brighter now no Lerner, but we still need to try and get promoted next season. I was expecting the likes of Black, Bruce or another average Championship manager, any of the three names above would be pretty decent. Forget the argument that a manager needs Championship experience (you can get it by doing it, would Mourinho be unsuitable because has none?) and forget the idea a manager may have a glass ceiling of the top 6 in the Premiership (managers rarely last more than three years anyway and it's not a pressing concern this season). Personally my preference goes Moyes, Di Matteo then Pearson but beggars can't be choosers and that list is still very impressive considering out CURRENT status. Moyes is a name that would be included in most Premier League team's interview list for vacancies. I just hope it gets done so the real work can start - squad overhaul. You could argue that with the possibility of a large transfer kitty being available the choice of manager is less important as we won't need every purchase to be a raging success and we hopefully won't need to keep slacking players. I want the new guy in this week. Let's get going...

Practically ANY takeover is good. As I see it, we are GUARANTEED more misery if Lerner stays so even if every change is a gamble at least we COULD improve under new leadership. I'd rather risk any change than stay as we are because of the fear of the unknown.

Absolutely correct. Yet still better than Sanchez...

After a break due to personal circumstances, I've had my season ticket for the last five years and will get another one next year. I'm the epitomy of a cr*pweather fan. If and when things get good again, I'm outta here... In all seriousness, when money is tight I can understand people diverting cash elsewhere. It's not been fun, sometimes it's been downright depressing. Those who stay away probably don't expect glory, but when we've lacked any quality, effort or even hope, I fully understand their right to withhold their support until the product improves a little. At the moment going to Villa Park is a chore but I have nnothing better to spend my time or money on. Well done to those who do and I look forward to seeing you all again when things improve... but I'll get first choice at the next Wembley appearance!

Brian Little saying something would be good enough for me too... but he hasn't, well not on the record anyway. What we actually have is someone saying Brian Little has said something. So really your comment should be 'random person on net who told me Brian Litte said something is good enough for me'". Forums sometimes offer such a scary insight in to the power of the press/ social media. A photoshopped picture can become 'truth', a rumour can become a 'fact' and a unheard chat can become a 'quote'. I'm not saying it didn't happen and I'm not having a go at you personally, it's just the ease in which something becomes fact worries me. Personally I'll keep hoping but I've heard nothing that suggests this takeover is on other than the 'extensive talks' line.

The 'debate' here really needs to move away from 'he's worst ever player' vs 'he's good' to a question of priorities. There are a number of posters on this thread who almost have a personal grudge against Westwood because of what they believe he represents - an ever present in our decline. However my argument is to move away from trying to quantify how good or bad he is but to ask a simple question; do Guzan, Lescott, Richards, Bacuna, Richardson, Agbonlahor, Sanchez or Sinclair (in particular) add any more to our first team squad than Westwood does? Or do they have more potential than Westwood does? Or do they have a better work ethic than Westwood does? Is he on a ridiculous wage? If the answer is largely no, then why are some so focused on him?! There are loads of other issues to sort before Westwood. Of course every player can be improved on, but Westwood doesn't even feature on most fans priorities. Unless of course you're equally anti all the above players (personally I'd add Gana, Veretout and Gestede to the above list) and post equally on all their threads too. We know the team is awful, but forgetting how awful you believe Westwood is I can't understand anyone considering him worse than the group of players mentioned. I don't even need to say Westwood is good, just that he really isn't the priority at the moment.

I have been fully behind these protests, even if it achieves absolutely nothing at least it feels like you're doing something. Absolutely nothing to lose at the moment, season's finished and we need to do anything we can to give Lerner a push towards that exit. Hopefully it works. However, if I'm honest (and you may not have thought this far ahead), I think the point has largely been made. By all means let's go all out again in the final game of the season but I'd prefer to go to the first game of next season with a more united front. With a little luck a sale will have happened by then, but even if it hasn't I think the fans have made their point and need to group together for the fight in the Championship. Be nice to go to a game without protests and booing our own players, as much as they are both fully warranted. So once again I'll join in with anything against Newcastle (I grabbed a massive handful of posters from one of your guys and was handing them to anyone in the Trinity who didn't have one!) but I want to start next season with a clean slate, even if I am disappointed with Lerner still in charge or the individual players. Well done to all involved though, you've helped Villa fans make their point and hope it's helped give Lerner that last shove.

This 'young and hungry' thing was never any of our managers' choice. It was really 'cheap, unproven and hope for profit', it was just 'young and hungry' is a better soundbite! One could argue Benteke was young and hungry and that was a success. As usual, it's normally a case of getting a balance but young and hungry or old and experienced, it's always somewhat of a gamble based on the individual player. Personally, I'd like to see a couple of established players joining us as I think we lack leaders, or players that the youth can look up to. Lescott certainly isn't that, Gabby even more so. Richards I still have time for but think we need a solid calming midfielder, along the lines of Petrov, Taylor, Barry and then we can add the talented youth around them.

I pay very little attention to the latest rumours but I must admit that I believe just because someone buys us for £75m rather than £300m, it doesn't make them a poorer potential owner. Same rule applies regarding personal, or group, wealth. Wise business persons do not throw money at bad investments, they look for value. Lerner threw money at Villa for the first few years with absolutely no plan, I'd prefer an owner who was more measured than 'all or bust'. Massive struggling companies have been bought, then turned around, for £1. It isn't the amount we're bought for, it's the person who buys it.

My season ticket will drop from £545 to £535. In itself a £10 drop doesn't sound much but considering there will be four extra home games next season the price per match has dropped from £28.68 to £23.26, or £5.48 per match. I may go slightly against the grain here but under £25 in great seats doesn't seem unreasonable, even in the Championship. I wasn't expecting any drop in price as I thought they would argue we were watching more, if not as high quality, games next season. I don't have a season ticket to watch Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool so the only relevant factor to me is how much per game to watch Villa, regardless of the opposition as long as it is competitive. I actually think this is relatively fair and don't feel this is a stick to beat Villa with. Yes they could do to reward long term fans, but few clubs do that I'm aware of. I've always though for each season you have a ticket you should get 2% of your season ticket price. If you've had a season ticket for 25 consecutive years you deserve a half price season ticket.

Just out of interest, although it doesn't directly effect me (I'm lower Trinity), have you been promised your old seats back if and when Villa are promoted or they decide to reopen the area? I do think that they should be reserved or it'll just be adding insult to injury when your seats are taken by others at a future date despite all your loyalty.

Got to say, one of the only reasons I'll keep my season ticket is because I like where I sit and those around me but if that was taken away I'd seriously question whether I'd renew next year. Think they may lose some season ticket holders over this.

Anyone else get this tone to the day; We apologise again for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have been sacked. The directors of the firm hired to continue the credits after the other people had been sacked, wish it to be known that they have just been sacked. The credits have been completed in an entirely different style at great expense and at the last minute. Actually, maybe that's just Villa's management in a nutshell...

There is very little chance this is from not being able to agree on a manager or anything else so relatively small. This is the result of deep rooted problems. If it were a marriage, not agreeing over a manager would be the equivalent of arguing over new curtains, bit of an argument but one side wins or better still there's a compromise. But the marriage wouldn't break up over what is such a short term issue in modern football. Even the best appointment might only last four years at best. No, this is likely to be much more fundamental. This is 'life goals' sort of stuff and our footballing people clearly realise there is no future with Lerner so have asked for a quickie divorce. We're in a MASSIVE hole, I think it's fair to say the biggest in our history. Aston Villa are going to be a very different football club in 12 months time and no one knows which way that will go for sure. But all signs point to much more negativity, the idea of another relegation and administration seems entirely realistic. Villa aren't in a fight for promotion, I think it's more likely our very existence in it's current form is in question. No board, No manager, No players we want or who want to stay, no Premier League, no money and a wantaway Chairman. It now can't get worse.

The newspaper reports of Moyes joining us accompanied with a large transfer funds are obviously completely made up. Moyes may or may not join us but you can virtually guarantee there'll be no 'huge transfer kitty'. My money would be on Pearson. Unemployed. Question marks remain. Would split fan base. Pretty much perfect for Villa! For the record, Moyes would top my list. Pearson would be... interesting. Bruce would be a disaster.

It's taken you 12 years to graduate? I'd try a new degree mate...

He is a player that joined Villa and within minutes said he was using us as a stepping stone to a big club. He is a player who on the day of our relegation either instructed or allowed his agent to say he was off this summer. So yes, his attitude. I don't fault his effort (certainly his quality) most of the time but when push comes to shove he actually doesn't care in the slightest. His attitude is that he above the likes of Villa when it is as much his fault as any others that we're going down.

Everyone is just waiting on one thing now, the manager. For all the talk, the boardroom shuffles and the open letters, it is the first bit of ACTION that this board will make that we can judge. You can't blame the current lot for much, if anything, but this is the first real move that will give us an insight to the future. I'm not sure why there should be much more of a delay now we're officially down. It's quite simple really, to get some positivity back in the fans they only need to do a few thing; 1. NAME THE MANAGER (OR GIVE ROUGH TIMESCALE TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT - IF IT'S NOT TIL END IF SEASON, SAY SO) 2. ANNOUNCE COMPETITIVE TICKET PRICES TO KEEP ATTENDANCE ON THE HIGHER SIDE 3. CONFIRM WE WILL BE VERY ACTIVE IN TRANSFER WINDOW (OBVIOUSLY CAN'T MENTION BUDGET) 4. LERNER STATEMENT REGARDING SALE PLANS, IS IT OFF TIL HOPEFULLY BACK IN PREMIER LEAGUE? It's all about being transparent. Not making promises you can't keep, not even revealing exact detail, just tell us the rough plan. Otherwise the void will be filled by the papers and the divide will become greater and greater. We're down, SHOW us how we're going to come back up - don't just say we want to.