AVSA EGM Backs Lerner Bid

The Aston Villa Shareholders Association (AVSA) held an EGM last night (24/08/2006) to vote on a single resolution, that being whether to sell the Associations shareholding in Aston Villa plc and thus back the takeover offer made by RAL.

The results were an overwhelming yes with a unanimous show of hands and 95% of the votes (including postal votes) backed the recommendation of myself – as Chairman – and the board of the AVSA to back the bid by Randy Lerner and to return our share certificate with the necessary forms.

Although the Associations shareholding is by no means large, the symbolism of the backing for the bid speaks volumes.

The Association has operated since the 1930’s and its current form was established in 1973. Despite the fact that it will obviously cease to exist, the board and its members (by majority vote) felt it only right to back the current bid and to help in a small way to send a vote of confidence to Randy Lerner (RAL).

We wish Randy Lerner all the very best and, much like the now disbanded Villa Fans Combined, hope that he will continue to consult with fans and set up some sort of fan representation at the club. To move the club forward, we feel being inclusive will prove critical.

The pride is returning and the Lions are about to roar again!!

end…..

Chairman of AVSA, Jonathan Fear, said:

‘Personally it feels great that VFC are no longer needed and although I’ll soon be losing my role as Chairman of the AVSA, I was proud to be asked, voted in and to have held that role for several years. Buck Chinn passed on the torch to me and I hope I represented the members appropriately, however the most thanks for the Associations fine work over the years has to go to Buck, as his tenure was somewhat longer!

I’ll soon revert to my one remaining title, that being ‘chairman, in my own house, in front of the tv’!

I’d like to thank the fans, not to mention the members of the Association, who have supported what both VFC and AVSA have done and apologise to those that didn’t agree with our protestations, we genuinely weren’t attempting to speak for all, but we did feel it was vital that some sort of stand was made about the way the club was being run and only ever had the best interests of Aston Villa at heart. That is all history now and I think we will all be far better off and happier watching Aston Villa move forward. The fact that the days of protests are over fills me with great joy!

The buzz at Villa Park during the Reading game showed that the politics are now out of the way and the unrest is over. Randy Lerner will be taking the reigns of a mighty and magnificent club and I’m sure with Martin O’Neill in charge of the team, us fans will be able to start seeing far better times at Villa and we’ll all be able to go back to doing what we are best at, supporting the team.’