Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian (Post 11258904)

This is taken from the Guardian article

It is hard to think of another owner of a Premier League club who has spent so much of his own money and, in terms of performance on the pitch, ended up with so little to show for it. Under Lerner Villa's final Premier League position each year, starting with 2007, reads: 11th (£2.8m), sixth (£7.6m), sixth (£46.2m), sixth (£37.6m), ninth (£54m), 16th (£17.7m), 15th (£51.8m) and 15th.

But later in the article it says this :confused:
The figures in brackets are the losses that Reform Acquisitions Limited, Lerner's holding company which owns Villa and a number of related companies, recorded each year – £217.7m in total, with this season's accounts still to come. It is little wonder that Lerner, who waived repayment of £90m in loans in December, decided enough was enough.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...er-aston-villa

Originally Posted by iaink (Post 11258922)

By rights Villa should be in a stronger situation. The club is the biggest in the midlands, a market similar in size to Manchester and closer to the corporate market in London.
What has let them down is mediocrity or worse on the field, and an older stadium that is probably due redevelopment in Villa Park. 30 years ago it was fit for Cup semis and replays, but not any longer I suspect.

Originally Posted by Oakvillian (Post 11258691)

....the only two players in the 30-man extended squad not currently representing a Premiership side are Fraser Forster of Celtic and Jermain Defoe of Toronto FC.

Originally Posted by Greenhill (Post 11267980)

Yaya Toure and his agent are demanding more respect. Apparently Toure is really upset because the club owners only gave him cake for his birthday.

Toure's agent has said "It is more important he plays for a club that respects him more than having a few thousand pounds added to his salary". "He got a cake but when it was Roberto Carlos's birthday, the president of Anzhi gave him a Bugatti".

Scandalous!

Originally Posted by Garbatellamike (Post 11267995)

:rofl: Toure's agent said exactly the same kind of thing last summer and indeed the summer before - the player has already tweeted denials so all you non City fans don't get your hopes up too much and Greenhill please don't lump the player in with his muppet of an agent.

Originally Posted by JamesM (Post 11268037)

Why wouldn't you lump the player in with his agent? The two are the same thing.

Originally Posted by JamesM (Post 11268037)

Why wouldn't you lump the player in with his agent? The two are the same thing.

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 11268079)

Plus Ceiteh are scum.

Originally Posted by Garbatellamike (Post 11267995)

the player has already tweeted denials.

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 11268184)

Doesn't sound like it.

‘Everything Dimitry said is true. He speaks for me,’ says Touré
Yaya Touré has confirmed that he is considering leaving Manchester City this summer over the club’s lack of effort in congratulating him on his 31st birthday

Originally Posted by Garbatellamike (Post 11268139)

yawn

Originally Posted by Garbatellamike (Post 11268138)

au contraire Blackadder one is one of the best footballers on the planet and the other is a complete muppet - same thing, ha ha, falls over laughing

Originally Posted by Garbatellamike (Post 11268195)

He denied it and has now done a 180 - presumably under pressure from his agent. Obviously interesting to see how it turns out.

Originally Posted by JamesM (Post 11268369)

It'll turn out with a huge pay rise.

Originally Posted by Garbatellamike (Post 11268195)

He denied it and has now done a 180 - presumably under pressure from his agent.