Former EPL side Aston Villa Chair Doug Ellis said that "he would sell the club to Randy Lerner again with the benefit of hindsight," despite its current plight, according to ESPN. An Aston Villa protest group has "expressed its sympathy" for sacked Manager Remi Garde and "blamed Lerner for the club's current predicament."
However, Ellis, who sold the club to Lerner for £62.6M in '06, "would do the same thing even though the American put Villa up for sale himself in May 2015." Ellis:
"Yes, I would [sell the club to him again]. ... I said I'd be there for him at any time because I left £20 million in for new players. Consequently he hasn't asked" (
ESPN, 3/31). The BELFAST TELEGRAPH reported the group behind "Out The Door On 74," which encouraged Villa supporters to vote with their feet and leave the last two home matches after 74 minutes -- symbolic of the club's formation in 1874 -- "in protest at the years of decline under Lerner, thinks the American should now go."
The group said in a statement, "Two wins in 20 is always going to leave a manager open to valid criticism regardless of the circumstances and his sacking has been inevitable for a while, whether now or in the summer. ... He was hung out to dry by Mr. Lerner and his sorry band of fools. ... Randy Lerner, bow your head once again in shame" (
BELFAST TELEGRAPH, 3/30).
