ASTON VILLA’S OWNER Randy Lerner intends to sell the club, he announced today.
Lerner took control at Villa Park in 2006 after a £62.6m takeover ($105.7 million).
“I owe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job,” he said in a statement.
“I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit.
“The last several seasons have been week in, week out battles and having now come through this last season unfortunately limping amidst very meaningful injuries and constant sale rumours, I feel further that now is the time for me to look for new ownership and thus new leadership.
“I have asked the world of Paul Lambert and Paul Faulkner and they have both delivered selflessly.
“I am appreciative of the support I have received, even in these last years of comparative struggle when criticism was due, and will look on with others – with fingers crossed, for stronger future performance appropriate to our size and heritage.”
Villa struggled in the 2013-14 season, finishing 15th in the Premier League, just five points above the relegation places.
The announcement from Lerner was widely expected after he said last month he would address speculation about his future after the end of the season.
The status of Villa manager Paul Lambert hangs in the balance.
Hoping Sheikh Mansur has a brother/mate who fancies spending some loose change….utv
Have €7.35 in my back pocket and an unopened bottle of Volvic in my hand. That should buy it…
Here’s hoping the new owners supply a translator for Paul Lamberts interviews.
Here is hoping a new owner(s) will arrive with the intention to spend big, similar to the transformation man city have experienced and send villa back up towards the top of the league where they belong.
Getting rid of Lambert will surely be their first order of business.
Well it was coming. As a Villa fan he did do his best but Man Citys billions came along and that snuffed Learners plans.
I trust Villa are sold to somebody trusted, not a Vincent Tan, and I would agree the 1st thing a new owner MUST do is dispose Paul Lambert, how he stil lhas a job I will never know. The likes of Palalce and Southampton work on simrlar budgets and similar type players and the managers got the best outta their respected teams.
Lambert has been found out and 90 percent of his signings have been very very poor, to the extent where he doesnt include them in the squad. Strange.
agree with most but to say city’s takeover had any effect on villa is just ridiculous ,Lerner’s lack of football knowledge screwed villa
Villa finished this season lower than Crystal Palace, Southampton, Everton, Sunderland, Stoke and Swansea. But … it’s City’s fault. Of course.
Well City did raid them for Milner and Barry when Villa were knocking aroung the edge of the Champions League spots a few years back…
Also Southampton spent decent money last summer. Lovern, Wanyama and Osvaldo cost something like 40 million combined that is on top of a serious youth production line. Palace was really the Pulis effect, they will do very well to do as good next year.
Lambert’s job has been effectively to gut a squad full of expensive mistakes from the previous 3 regimes (the decent players have already been cherry picked) and replace them with cheap young players on small wages with the potential for decent resale, which will always be a gamble while keeping the team in the division. Plus he lost the two somewhat substantial signings of the summer (Kozak and Okore) to injury for the season plus his best signing Benteke missed like a third of the games.
At least give him a season with some cash and his young players finally maturing before showing him the door….
Villa could easily be the next man city now.
How much do ye want for the place?