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With Randy Lerner poised to reveal all in a statement about Villa’s future next week, Mat Kendrick writes what he would like to hear from the owner.

‘I’m what you call the custodian. There have been plenty of custodians of Aston Villa since 1874 and if I can’t make it work I will do what the others did, move on and let someone else try. People like me come and go. The fans will always own Villa because they never leave.

That’s what I said when I arrived at Villa Park in August 2006 and regrettably the time has come for me to pass the claret and blue baton on to a new custodian.

I sincerely care about Villa and because of my feelings for this great club I have chosen the next custodian wisely.

Granted, he’s not short of a few dollars, so hopefully better times are around the corner, but just as importantly I am confident my successor will respect and value Villa’s heritage every bit as much as I do.

I know Herbert Douglas Ellis was approached by a certain Carson Yeung to sell Villa before I came on to the scene – he told me so himself, after the story about inventing the bicycle kick. I’m pleased to say that I haven’t heard from Mr Yeung this time for some reason.

Neither would I entertain the idea of selling to anybody that fails to pass my own fit and proper persons test, which thankfully is more stringent than the Premier League’s dodgy dealer detector.

As far as I know, Villa will continue to play in claret and blue, at Villa Park and be called Aston Villa, rather than the Witton Wildcats in orange at the Muller Arena. I have done my best to ensure the club is in as safe a pair of hands as Brad Guzan’s, and I am certain I am better at selecting new owners than new managers (I still haven’t forgiven Sir Alex Ferguson for ‘Moyesing’ me by recommending Eck).

For that reason, it is up to the new custodian to decide whether he sticks with the current boss, although when I revamped the Holte Pub I wanted a new bar manager...

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I accept the last four seasons have simply not been good enough for a club of this stature. With Premier League points tallies of 48, 38, 41 and whatever 30-something or low 40-something this campaign throws up, we were wrong to pretend it was ‘progress’.

The reason I have not been at Villa Park much (no, not dressed as those American billionaires you have spotted –or even Colonel Sanders!) is because it has broken my heart to witness the decline.

It has been necessary for me to strip back spending to reduce the record losses – and because I have invested another hefty chunk of cash – we are closer to a break even point, but I knew this was going to be a painful process. It needed to be done to make Villa a more attractive proposition to buyers. I don’t speak much, but my statements are like relegation battles – you wait ages and three come along all at once.

I can only thank the fans for turning out and supporting every week with such little reward. You are incredible.

Especially this season, when we have averaged 36,080 despite a record ten home league defeats. It is worth repeating: The fans will always own Aston Villa.

I watched the Hull match on satelite TV and the kids must have been playing with the remote control because the volume was ear-splitting. Come to think of it they must have adjusted the picture as well because there was somebody called Jordan Bowery doing remarkable things!

That is the kind of atmosphere we always wanted at Villa Park, and while our decision-making has left a lot to be desired our intentions were good. We gambled in the first four years, we were swept along by the excitement of striving to reach the Champions League and it didn’t work.

It was not for the want of trying, or buying for that mattter – and Martin O’Neill never did tell me what he did with the receipt for Marlon Harewood. Martin’s memoirs should make interesting reading...

Hopefully, as well as the last four years of decline, fans will remember the positive things we achieved at the club.

I spent £4 million to restore the Holte Pub to its former glory. We were warned it was not financially viable, but that was not the point, it was a symbol of a fresh start. Then there was the £13 million redevelopment of Bodymoor Heath to provide a truly first-class training ground. I have also spent big sums to create impressive facilities and improved the hospitality.

It has gone less well on the field. In hindsight, there might have been better ways to waste £150 million-plus on players fees and wages and manager pay-offs. I can’t pretend otherwise, we’ve made some very bad, very costly calls.

I never intended to spurn so much cash, but nor was it ever about turning a massive profit. What’s the best way to become a millionaire? Be a billionaire and buy a football club!

I would love for our link up with Acorns to be our legacy, proving that Villa can, still, instinctively, do what is right. I’m proud to have helped such a deserving cause with a pioneering shirt charity link up.

We’ve had some good times...Three sixth-place finishes and breaking the transfer record several times to bring in Ashley Young, James Milner, Stewart Downing and Darren Bent.

Then there were the two Wembley trips in 2010 – we might have lost the league cup final to Manchester United – damn you Mr Dowd – and the FA Cup semi final to Chelsea – damn you Mr Webb – but the memories of those seas of claret and blue flags and scarves will live with me forever.

Talking of scarves, I’ve got a job lot of ‘Proud History, Bright Future’ ones that I’ve chucked in for free as part of the deal with the next custodian.

It might not have worked out as we all had dreamed, but I wish you well with the Bright Future. Up the Villa. Randy.’