My head is spinning.
After Saturday’s game, our confirmed relegation just left me even number than I’ve been for the last few weeks.
There was no real emotion, as along with anyone with half a brain, I knew we were already down, so there was no surprise.
The fact that we were actually relegated though started to raise loads of questions about our future and I’d been saving them up, ready to post at this moment.
But the bombshell news that Bernstein and King have resigned makes all of my previous questions pale into insignificance and I’m now genuinely scared for our future.
As if the serious threat of another relegation wasn’t already enough to worry about.
So I’d got my theory worked out and it was based on the assumption that even though the official stance is that Holis is working hard in negotiations regarding a sale, I frankly didn’t believe it to be true.
With the reality being more like the board as it was, had set up a blueprint which required a major clear out and a serious wedge of investment.
Something that Randy Lerner flatly refused to go along with.
This is the part that just seemed to be to be “fundamental” and what has made the ex-directors’ positions “untenable”.
All completely logical. Or so I thought.
And then, just like buses, along come another two stories that have totally thrown me.
First there’s Pat Murphy’s story that the club is up for sale and Lerner is willing to sell for £75 million.
It’s come from “Andrew” on here and while I can’t confirm it myself, I’ve no reason to doubt that what “Andrew” says is true (and it’s now backed up by the Telegraph)
And it also makes sense to me, as Lerner could afford to sell at this price and still won’t be losing anywhere near the amounts of money that have been suggested by the accounts (I’m sure you all know my thoughts about those).
But it blows my original theory out of the water and would mean that it’s not about Lerner not accepting the plan.
And then there’s the news of Gabby Agbonlahor living it up and partying on the very night our relegation was confirmed.
Now, if you agree with my previous thoughts that the Gabby “fat camp” story was just that and it’s a cover to explain why he’s been totally kicked out of the first team, you have to also agree that what he’s done here is basically display utter contempt for us fans and the club.
Ok, I can understand why you want to let your hair down after a crap day at the office.
So go and have a few quiet drinks with friends.
But keep it discreet as possible and don’t find yourself in a room with laughing gas bottles strewn all over the floor. Especially after having been caught smoking cigars and having a Hookah pipe in your mouth so recently.
The girls part of it all, I can live with.
There’s nothing better for keeping your pecker up (see what I did there?) and it doesn’t affect your fitness, as long as you get enough kip, does it?
We all know footballers have a reputation for being thick, but it seems we have a much bigger share than average and you would expect that they’ve been told to stay out of the limelight by the hierarchy, especially after some of the foot in mouth comments/antics lately.
So it wouldn’t surprise me if Bernstein and King have finally had enough with Gabby and wanted to sack him for something like bringing the club into disrepute or gross misconduct.
Certainly the timing of the resignations suggests that there’s some sort of link anyway.
But I don’t believe it’s the sole reason they’ve resigned.
Now that I’ve thought about things, so I think that the board wanted Gabby gone as part of the blueprint.
And the player’s latest antics were the perfect excuse to get rid.
Think about it and it explains the “fundamental” and “radical” words perfectly.
We’d be getting rid of “Mr Aston Villa”, the one man who ought to be crying himself to sleep at night at our plight, but in reality doesn’t give a toss.
I’ve suggested previously that Lerner has protected Gabby and it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s still the case.
Which would explain why he can seemingly get away with anything, given that many of us think he’s a major instigator of many of the club’s problems. Which means he has to go, at any cost.
But Lerner doesn’t see it that way and blocks the move totally, because he’s so out of touch with what’s really going on.
So basically, it’s a combination of things that have led to the resignations.
Pie in the sky?
Maybe, but we’ll never find out from the directors. They’ll never come out with the truth, because it’s not the done thing to spill the beans after the fact.
Yet at the same time, I still don’t think Lerner’s going to sell the club imminently either.
Look at Merv’s comment in his resignation letter;
“New leadership is desperately needed to change the culture and the capability of the Club at all levels. When you, David Bernstein and I were asked join the board, we were able to make a start. But progress has stalled. It is clear that a sale of the Club to a new owner must be brought about as soon as possible, and I wish you every success in that effort.”
Now perhaps I’m seeing something that isn’t there, but the wording isn’t quite right if Lerner is in the middle of a deal.
That’s as close as a man in his position can get to saying that Lerner just has to go, because he’s an idiot, in my book.
And not a point you’d make if a deal was about to be sealed, as there would be no need.
Regardless, I suspect this will prove a very dark day for the club; even more so than the day we were relegated.
