The Randy Lerner thread

[nazvfc]

Last 3 years worse than Doug's final year and he gets thanked for it. I just don't get it.

Mate you have not witnessed anything in Dougs reign other than the better days. We were never financially stable during his 25 years after he came back. He paid himself bonus after bonus for making losses. Never put his money in for transfers or to pay off the debt (even though he treated the club like his own and not as a shareholder like the other thousands - just because he had more shares and money) and had an ego that held us back year after year.

 

You don't remember the bad times we had - we do and Randy only had 3/4 bad years out of the 8. That clearing in the woods had 25 years and more with some success in between and NEVER pushed us forward when he had the chance - Big Ron A Little, Gregory to name just a few in the Premiership years 

 

So yeah I'm thanking Randy for his time and going when he knew he had to and not hanging round like a bad smell that is spreading through our great club unlike that ******.

 

Thanks Randy for putting your money into the club and making the infrastructure better and trying to make the team a success (at least with MON) I personally forgive you for hiring McLeish, we are all allowed a mistake or two and thank you for not getting us relegated unlike that hero to some.( Regardless of many thinking you are crap and have done nothing but wrong). Your McLeish was his McNeil, Your Houllier was his Venglos and perhaps your Lambert was his Turner.

[PaulC]

 

Last 3 years worse than Doug's final year and he gets thanked for it. I just don't get it.

Mate you have not witnessed anything in Dougs reign other than the better days. We were never financially stable during his 25 years after he came back. He paid himself bonus after bonus for making losses. Never put his money in for transfers or to pay off the debt (even though he treated the club like his own and not as a shareholder like the other thousands - just because he had more shares and money) and had an ego that held us back year after year.

 

You don't remember the bad times we had - we do and Randy only had 3/4 bad years out of the 8. That clearing in the woods had 25 years and more with some success in between and NEVER pushed us forward when he had the chance - Big Ron A Little, Gregory to name just a few in the Premiership years 

 

So yeah I'm thanking Randy for his time and going when he knew he had to and not hanging round like a bad smell that is spreading through our great club unlike that ******.

 

Thanks Randy for putting your money into the club and making the infrastructure better and trying to make the team a success (at least with MON) I personally forgive you for hiring McLeish, we are all allowed a mistake or two and thank you for not getting us relegated unlike that hero to some.( Regardless of many thinking you are crap and have done nothing but wrong). Your McLeish was his McNeil, Your Houllier was his Venglos and perhaps your Lambert was his Turner.

 

 

Yes Doug made money out of Villa Lerner lost money...........i remember the bad times under Doug...

[avfc1982am]

Lambert gets absolutely hammered, yet Lerner gets the thanks for pulling the plug on investment and putting us through three terrible years!

Do you know why Mike? In my humble opinion the reason why is he is not Ellis and people invested years and so much effort in his removal to now admit that the man who replaced him was not much (if at all better) is a bitter pill to swallow but that's just my opinion, if people feel that way they are entitled to but thats the reason I suspect.

Where i personally stand regarding your comments mike/richard is that for me Lambert has been a pretty terrible manager at Villa. Not because of the finances but the football which apart from a couple of games here and there has been shocking.

As far as ellis and lerner are concerned, through the 80's I was a kid growing not really aware of the boardroom politics until we went down to the old 2nd division(bit older then) and believe me I used to slag ellis every week as a militant teenager when we were shit. Luckily enough though we bounced back quick. The 90's although yo yo gave us some amazing times, flirting with the big boy's and winning cups along the way. Ellis though needed to go and I was glad when he did.

As for lerner I am grateful that he came along and helped provide with his investment memories I could share with my own kids, cup final,semis etc. The reason I'm not hammering him right now is because I believe he will sell us to the right person/people. If I'm completely honest it's relief more than anything. I do believe he has put us in a strong position to be sold however shit the last few years have been and he is like ellis going at the right time - any longer and I would certainly be hammering him. Life story I know chaps but my explanation.

[The Fun Factory]

What a load of pretentious new age bollocks this statement is.  I was almost expecting Lerner to say selling Villa would be a conscious uncoupling for him, He has got bored and doesn't want to lose any more of his family money in running badly managed sports teams in Cleveland and Birmingham. The last 3 years has been building to this as action speaks louder than words. All the pravda club bullshit when Lambert got the job for a young and exciting projects was just nonsense.

It just speaks volume the day Lerner wants to bail out is the day that Man City are parading their 2 trophies. City did it for Lerner as they had far more money than us and nicked our 2 best players in 2 summers. The club has never been the same since Milner was sold in 2010 and hopefully this marks the end of a dismal chapter in the history of this great football club.

[Big_John_10]

Last 3 years worse than Doug's final year and he gets thanked for it. I just don't get it.

Mate you have not witnessed anything in Dougs reign other than the better days. We were never financially stable during his 25 years after he came back. He paid himself bonus after bonus for making losses. Never put his money in for transfers or to pay off the debt (even though he treated the club like his own and not as a shareholder like the other thousands - just because he had more shares and money) and had an ego that held us back year after year.

You don't remember the bad times we had - we do and Randy only had 3/4 bad years out of the 8. That clearing in the woods had 25 years and more with some success in between and NEVER pushed us forward when he had the chance - Big Ron A Little, Gregory to name just a few in the Premiership years

So yeah I'm thanking Randy for his time and going when he knew he had to and not hanging round like a bad smell that is spreading through our great club unlike that ******.

Thanks Randy for putting your money into the club and making the infrastructure better and trying to make the team a success (at least with MON) I personally forgive you for hiring McLeish, we are all allowed a mistake or two and thank you for not getting us relegated unlike that hero to some.( Regardless of many thinking you are crap and have done nothing but wrong). Your McLeish was his McNeil, Your Houllier was his Venglos and perhaps your Lambert was his Turner.

This supports Richards view that he seems to get away with it because he's not Doug.

And as for always trying his best and having the clubs best interest at heart how can people honestly say that? Alex McLeish and the last 3 January transfer windows show that's not even close to being true.

[nazvfc]

 

 

Last 3 years worse than Doug's final year and he gets thanked for it. I just don't get it.

Mate you have not witnessed anything in Dougs reign other than the better days. We were never financially stable during his 25 years after he came back. He paid himself bonus after bonus for making losses. Never put his money in for transfers or to pay off the debt (even though he treated the club like his own and not as a shareholder like the other thousands - just because he had more shares and money) and had an ego that held us back year after year.

You don't remember the bad times we had - we do and Randy only had 3/4 bad years out of the 8. That clearing in the woods had 25 years and more with some success in between and NEVER pushed us forward when he had the chance - Big Ron A Little, Gregory to name just a few in the Premiership years

So yeah I'm thanking Randy for his time and going when he knew he had to and not hanging round like a bad smell that is spreading through our great club unlike that ******.

Thanks Randy for putting your money into the club and making the infrastructure better and trying to make the team a success (at least with MON) I personally forgive you for hiring McLeish, we are all allowed a mistake or two and thank you for not getting us relegated unlike that hero to some.( Regardless of many thinking you are crap and have done nothing but wrong). Your McLeish was his McNeil, Your Houllier was his Venglos and perhaps your Lambert was his Turner.

This supports Richards view that he seems to get away with it because he's not Doug.

And as for always trying his best and having the clubs best interest at heart how can people honestly say that? Alex McLeish and the last 3 January transfer windows show that's not even close to being true.

 

No it doesn't - you lot are judging him on the last 3 years only - and forget the other years - while I judge Ellis over all his tenure just like I am with Lerner - I am judging him over his full tenure not the last 3 years and in those years we had good times as well as bad just as we had in Ellis' tenure but Ellis did a lot worse and held us back more. 

 

Forgot to add - at least as I stated - Lerner is leaving when he knows he has to - Ellis hung around far too long and only left for ill health - if he wasn't he would still be here an guess what we MAY have been relegated long before now.

Edited May 12, 2014 by nazvfc

[NIVillan]

Lerner is slagged off for not investing more and cutting back after ONeil,

Ellis did that after we won the European Cup.  We were still Champions of Europe when he retook control and due to lack of investment and cutting back we were relegated within 5 Years.

 

On top of that Ellis failed to build on good foundations in 1990 after Taylor got us Second, in 93 after Atkinson got us Second (big Ron wanted Roy Keane and Klinsman ended up with Guy Whittingham and Andy Townsend).  1999 when Gregory had us top of the league he failed to invest to push us over the line.

 

Managers, Lerner hired Houlier and McDuff.  Ellis hired Turner, McNeil and Venglos.  He didnt Want Ron Saunders and left originally cause the board backed Ron instead of him.

 

Money, Lerner has put a lot of his own money.  Ellis took money.  He was the first Chairman to award themselves a wage.  He set up the shares issue so he could be made into a multi millionaire.  Apart from buying the shares he didn't invest any of his own money.

 

EGo - Wllis full of it thought he was Mr Aston Villa.  Lerner thinks he is looking after Aston Villa.

 

So Yes I thank Lerner for having a go.  It didn't work out but at leaf you tried.

[HanoiVillan]

Lerner has been a better chairman than Ellis, ie. he's cleared a pretty low hurdle. He's been average-to-poor basically. You wouldn't put him down with your Ridsdale's and Tan's, but he's hardly the pick of the bunch either. I do feel grateful to him for deciding to quit now, rather than holding on through inertia and arrogance until the club got relegated and sank into administration. 

[Morley_crosses_to_Withe]

No where near as good (super rich) as Abramovich or Mansour, but no where near as bad as Ellis, Tan, Sullivan and Gold, the Venkys, Yeung, Delia Smith, Ellis Short, Mike Ashley, Peace, Khan, Whelan, Fernandes and Mittal, and a whole host of other nutjobs who have tried and failed to run a football club and/or trashed everything the club has ever stood for.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Morley_crosses_to_Withe

[blandy]

This supports Richards view that he seems to get away with it because he's not Doug..

to be fair, it's about as valid a view as someone claiming Richard lets Lambert get away with it because he's not McLeish would be. i.e. It's actually pretty facile.

[villa4europe]

Lerner is slagged off for not investing more and cutting back after ONeil,

Ellis did that after we won the European Cup. We were still Champions of Europe when he retook control and due to lack of investment and cutting back we were relegated within 5 Years.

On top of that Ellis failed to build on good foundations in 1990 after Taylor got us Second, in 93 after Atkinson got us Second (big Ron wanted Roy Keane and Klinsman ended up with Guy Whittingham and Andy Townsend). 1999 when Gregory had us top of the league he failed to invest to push us over the line.

Managers, Lerner hired Houlier and McDuff. Ellis hired Turner, McNeil and Venglos. He didnt Want Ron Saunders and left originally cause the board backed Ron instead of him.

Money, Lerner has put a lot of his own money. Ellis took money. He was the first Chairman to award themselves a wage. He set up the shares issue so he could be made into a multi millionaire. Apart from buying the shares he didn't invest any of his own money.

EGo - Wllis full of it thought he was Mr Aston Villa. Lerner thinks he is looking after Aston Villa.

So Yes I thank Lerner for having a go. It didn't work out but at leaf you tried.

Good post, you missed out that Ellis was that bitter about not owning the club when we won the European cup that he sold the players thinking he could do better, and that was what caused our rapid decline

That's the picture that pretty much all of those players I've spoken to paint anyway

He was a mixture of arrogance and greed

Like you say, slapped us down at our peak several times over the years

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

He spent, then he didn't. That's it really.

 

At least he knows when his time is up.

[Risso]

He spent, then he didn't. That's it really.

 

At least he knows when his time is up.

 

Probably three years later than he should have got out.  Once he started selling the likes of Young, Milner and Downing, and appointing McLeish he should have put £70m on a bonfire and sold up then.

[Qwpzxjor1]

Maqroll just posted an excellent thread about Randy. It got sadly locked. I'm not gonna join in the debate on Lerner here but I think Maqroll hit the nail on the head. I hope someone from Lerner's staff reads these forums and passes on that, despite the negativity in threads such as this, we are very thankful for the good times and wish him all the best.

[srsmithusa]

Personal ramblings.  I have no doubt some will slate me and even more harshly slate current club leadership at the club.  But I need to say my piece.  I have been a football fan for 35 years, active in US soccer.  I chose a Premier League team in the late 90's and chose Aston Villa.

 

I was excited when we were bought by an American.  I've never met him, but still thought it was cool.  Loved the excitement of the MON investment and successes and all I heard on here about the stadium improvements, Bodymoor Heath, etc.  I ended up making an acquaintance with the General, who knew I was diagnosed with Leukemia.  Earlier this season, I checked an item off my bucket list to see Villa Play at Villa park.  The General contacted Paul Faulkner.  My wife and I had the most amazing hosts for our Villa experience.  Paul gave us a tour of Bodymoor.  Robin Russell was our host at match day.  I spent half-time with Stan Petrov who gave me an autographed shirt from the club.

 

I don't know the business of running a football club.  But I know people.  I'm actually in the business of assessing and developing professional people.  And I met some fine ones: From the General, to Paul Faulkner, Paul Lambert, Robin Russell, the secretarial staff, Stan Petrov, to the cooks in VMF.  They are class, one and all.

 

I think every one of them would agree they have made mistakes.  But they have done more than enough right that I will respect them and their efforts, period.  I started to give lots of examples of things I know and heard and saw, like stories about pieces of Villa history salvaged from scheduled destruction under the stands.  I started to give examples of some behind the scenes details of a few player contract negotiations we were told about.  But I don't feel comfortable doing so.  I know that some here would twist and misconstrue my words.  So I've left all that out.

 

Let me just say that my wife has resented the sport because of all the time and money I spent on it over the years.    But she now follows Aston Villa because of Paul Faulkner, Karen Croft, the General, Paul Lambert, Robin Russell, Stan Petrov, Norma, and others.  Not just because they were kind to us, which they were, but because they passionately love Villa, the club, its history, and its future.  It was etched on their faces when they talked with us. So I can't help but feel mixed hope for more investment and loss over the coming changes. 

 

I won't abandon my passion for Villa.  I'll see you in the stands in Texas this summer and with any luck next spring in GB.  I am more tempted to abandon Villa because of the abuse these people get from posters here, than I am because of its obvious difficulties on and off the field recently.  I have no doubt in my mind that every single person I named was passionate, committed, had integrity, and did much more for this club than any employer has a right to ask.  I haven't met Randy Learner, but I will miss him because many of these will likely leave as well.

 

I'll let you all return to your usual passions, but I just needed to say that I am not able to do anything but trust the people that Randy Learner have placed in charge of our club.  Therefore I'm not capable of doing anything but trusting him to sell responsibly.

 

Rage if you wish, I will not change my perspective on these fine people.  Just had to state my piece.

[foreveryoung]

I respect your post srs and I do believe they all have immense passion for the club. But the problem was, including Faulkner, is they were just never good enough to run a football club of our status and history. If they employed top football people from day one, this would be (as I believe) a very very successful football club. Lerner is a fantastic business man, but running a football club is, as you all must agree, very much different than running a bank or regular blue chip company and unfortunately 8 years down the line they have found out the hard way.

[NIVillan]

Well one thing I am proud that Lerner brought to the club and that was some sense of Morals.

 

We tried to do things the right and decent way in say Transfers.

[The Fun Factory]

Lerner has been a better chairman than Ellis, ie. he's cleared a pretty low hurdle. He's been average-to-poor basically. You wouldn't put him down with your Ridsdale's and Tan's, but he's hardly the pick of the bunch either. I do feel grateful to him for deciding to quit now, rather than holding on through inertia and arrogance until the club got relegated and sank into administration. 

Really? Take the last 8 years of Ellis, in which most Villa fans wanted him out.  A cup final, 2 league cup semi finals, a few 6ths and 8ths and a few bad 16th places. No worse than what Lerner delivered at Villa. It is unfair to compare the previous 8 years as Villa won stuff and came 2nd twice in the league. Ellis was a old duffer who should have sold earlier but to say Lerner is a better chairmain than Ellis when he has delivered the same or worse is just wrong,

[Jarpie]

 

Lerner has been a better chairman than Ellis, ie. he's cleared a pretty low hurdle. He's been average-to-poor basically. You wouldn't put him down with your Ridsdale's and Tan's, but he's hardly the pick of the bunch either. I do feel grateful to him for deciding to quit now, rather than holding on through inertia and arrogance until the club got relegated and sank into administration. 

Really? Take the last 8 years of Ellis, in which most Villa fans wanted him out.  A cup final, 2 league cup semi finals, a few 6ths and 8ths and a few bad 16th places. No worse than what Lerner delivered at Villa. It is unfair to compare the previous 8 years as Villa won stuff and came 2nd twice in the league. Ellis was a old duffer who should have sold earlier but to say Lerner is a better chairmain than Ellis when he has delivered the same or worse is just wrong,

 

 

They both had their own faults and good sides, and the eras of both will be looked back as "What could've been".

[Mendi]

Lerner please get the deal done, so we can all move on in peace