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Lerner assumes control of Villa
American businessman Randy Lerner has taken full control of Aston Villa after acquiring 85.5% of shares in the club.
Lerner had owned 59.69% of the club after his £62.2m takeover in August - and when his stake reaches 90% he can legally buy out the remaining 10%.
Earlier in the week, Lerner told BBC Sport: "Aston Villa was a club I read and thought about for a long time.
"Over the last three or four years I became more and more focused and I was advised that it might be available."
Lerner, 44, is pleased Villa fans have got behind new manager Martin O'Neill, and believes the former Celtic boss holds the key to bringing success back to Villa Park.
He told Villa's fans to "focus on Martin O'Neill," adding "that's absolutely my focus - I think he is great.
"I am just getting to know him, I can't say I know him very well.
"But he has got the record and the history which are the makings of a steady long-term commitment to Villa - that is the plan."
Lerner also owns the Cleveland Browns NFL team and said he saw some comparisons between his two clubs.
"They both have extremely avid, loyal and passionate to the point of religious support," he explained.
"So yes, I suppose there's overlap.
"But I don't want to over do the parallels because I don't know enough really at this point about that area of the country to do that - and I am tentative about overdoing it anyway."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/5316052.stm
American businessman Randy Lerner has taken full control of Aston Villa after acquiring 85.5% of shares in the club.
Lerner had owned 59.69% of the club after his £62.2m takeover in August - and when his stake reaches 90% he can legally buy out the remaining 10%.
Earlier in the week, Lerner told BBC Sport: "Aston Villa was a club I read and thought about for a long time.
"Over the last three or four years I became more and more focused and I was advised that it might be available."
Lerner, 44, is pleased Villa fans have got behind new manager Martin O'Neill, and believes the former Celtic boss holds the key to bringing success back to Villa Park.
He told Villa's fans to "focus on Martin O'Neill," adding "that's absolutely my focus - I think he is great.
"I am just getting to know him, I can't say I know him very well.
"But he has got the record and the history which are the makings of a steady long-term commitment to Villa - that is the plan."
Lerner also owns the Cleveland Browns NFL team and said he saw some comparisons between his two clubs.
"They both have extremely avid, loyal and passionate to the point of religious support," he explained.
"So yes, I suppose there's overlap.
"But I don't want to over do the parallels because I don't know enough really at this point about that area of the country to do that - and I am tentative about overdoing it anyway."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/5316052.stm
