English Premier League Club Aston Villa Put Up for Sale, Randy Lerner Decides to Quit

Aston Villa, one of the prominent clubs playing at the English Premiere League, is up for sale. An official statement on the club Web site confirmed the report.

American businessman Randy Lerner took over Aston Villa for $105.7 million from Doug Ellis in 2006. He enjoyed early success as the club finished at the sixth place for three consecutive seasons. However, it has only managed to finish in the bottom half of the table, CNN reported. It was hinted in April 2014 that the sale of the club was imminent.

According to Lerner's official statement, he confirmed "seemingly constant rumours of a sale." He said that he had realised "that fates are fickle in the business of English football." According to Lerner, he has "pushed" his fate "well past the limit" as the club has apparently been "limping amidst meaningful injuries and constant sale rumours." He gives credit to "the world of Paul Lambert and Paul Faulkner" for delivering selflessly. He said that it was time to get on with other aspects of his career, "following a sale."

"Above all, the debt I owe Aston Villa whether as owner, Chairman, custodian or simply as a fan is to put the Club first. To make good on that debt, 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. Lerner claimed that he had "tried to strengthen and improve the Club's physical infrastructure both at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath while also trying to carry on the McGregor tradition of being mindful of the local community." He said that he was still unable to do the needful. "It is time, if possible, to hand these privileges and responsibilities to the next person or group to take the Club forward," he wrote.

At the end of the statement, Lerner concluded saying that he had "engaged Bank of America Merrill Lynch to advise on the sale of Aston Villa."