Aston Villa were a genuine Premier League force until 2010, when deals for Scott Parker, Aiden McGeady and Robbie Keane were vetoed.
Aston Villa hero Gabriel Agbonlahor claims former owner Randy Lerner vetoed deals to sign Robbie Keane, Aiden McGeady and Scott Parker before the club’s dramatic fall from grace, while speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT (20 February, 12.30pm).
In hindsight, the summer of 2010 proved to be something of a turning point for a side who, at the time, were right on the verge of the Champions League places.
Aston Villa had finished sixth in the Premier League in three successive seasons between 2008 and 2010 and manager Martin O’Neill was keen to enhance an already talented squad, which included Ashley Young, Stuart Downing and Stiliyan Petrov, with some extra quality.
But with then-chairman Randy Lerner reluctant to spend big and drag the Midland giants ever closer to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, a frustrated O’Neil walked away on the eve of the 2010/11 season.
“I remember the time when the investment stopped. It was when Martin O’Neill left. That summer, he wanted to buy Robbie Keane, Aiden McGeady and Scott Parker,” Agbonlahor, who at the time was one of England’s most feared strikers, has lamented.
“I think there were certain players he wanted to buy and Lerner said ‘no’. There wasn’t many big, big signings (from then on)
“I think we were three or four players away from getting into the top four, we just needed that bit of extra investment. But, of course, we went the opposite way.”
Instead of landing O’Neill’s top targets, including a midfielder in Parker who would be voted the Football Writer’s Player of the Year 12 months on, Aston Villa spent the next few seasons scouring the market for ill-fitting bargain buys who never looked ready for Premier League football.
As a result, Villa have never finished in the top half of the division since 2011.
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