04/24/24
August 14, 2006
NFL to EPL, Pt. 2: Cleveland Browns owner/trust fund baby Randy Lerner joined the Glazers by paying nearly US$120M for perennial also-rans Aston Villa. His dad founded the MBNA credit card empire so we know what's in his wallet. Will he be an American Abramovitch or be another Deadly Doug?
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 09:59 AM - 7 comments
Will he be an American Abramovitch or be another Deadly Doug? As a Birmingham fan I can only hope and pray it's the latter. Farewell then Agent Doug, you did a grand job of screwing up Viler for us.
posted by squealy at 02:24 PM on August 14, 2006
From what I heard, they're going to do a corporate renaming exercise. Looking into the Cleveland Villa. Or the Aston Browns. Or the Brown Villa. Or the Aston Villa Browns. Browns vs Blues. Has a ring to it, no? And, who's next?
posted by worldcup2002 at 07:23 PM on August 14, 2006
Aston Brown Villas
posted by billsaysthis at 09:07 PM on August 14, 2006
And, who's next On behalf of Derby County, I have been despatching 'come and get me' pleas in the direction of many an American or Russian oil billionaire. Still no takers.
posted by owlhouse at 10:47 PM on August 14, 2006
I'm no villa fan, but I will take exception to a team being described as "perennial also-rans" when they have: Won the European Cup, the European Super Cup, the Inter-Toto cup, the FA Cup (seven times from ten finals), the League Cup (five times from seven finals) and the top flight seven times. They've not been any good since Ferguson's "kids" beat them to the first Premier League title in '93, but they've got histroy and pedigree. I think it's a shrewd buy. I like the "Aston Browns" best for a new name.
posted by JJ at 06:24 AM on August 15, 2006
I was joking about the corporate renaming. Koff. But I would've liked The Aston Martins.
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:32 PM on August 15, 2006
As a Villa fan I can't quite decide if this is good or bad news. I was pleased when Martin O'Neill took over as manager, and am assuming he had a fair idea this was happening. And if it means he gets to spend a bit of cash I'll be happy.