Lerner plays down Villa role

Prospective Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner insists he will adopt a down-to-earth attitude in his dealings with the club.

The American billionaire has had his takeover bid accepted, with shareholders recommended to accept the bid from the Cleveland Browns owner which values the club at £62.6m (€91.9m), though he may still face a fight from rival consortia.

Lerner is adamant his involvement with Villa will not be an ego trip.

“I’m what you call the custodian. There have been plenty of custodians since 1874 (when Villa were founded) and if I can’t make it work, I will do what the others did, move on and let someone else try,” he told the News of the World.

“People like me come and go. The fans will always own Aston Villa because they never leave.”

Lerner goes to great lengths to ensure all his family remain grounded despite their vast wealth.

“I can’t say the trappings of ownership have ever interested me. It is claiming credit where none is due. I won’t let my kids walk around in Browns shirts because I don’t want them saying ‘yeah, that’s my dad’s football club - he owns you’. That’s the way to create little monsters.”