How far can we fall?

Apologies if this has been covered in another thread but these days I have time on my hands and I'm prone to thinking things through longer than it is healthy to do so.

Specifically, we now, it appears, have an owner who has lost interest totally in his English soccer club. Probably to the degree that he dies the even look for the score anymore and probably to the point where he is not even actively seeking to sell up. In which case, we have at least one inevitable relegation just around the next bend but if this owner neglect continues what could stop the fall also continuing?

I'm not saying necessarily that we will be relegated in successive seasons (although this is not unprecedented) but say, over the next 5/6 seasons, if there has been no change of ownership, is it remotely possible that a club as 'big' as ours could actually exit the Football League altogether?

Or - will we settle at a minimum level e.g. League 1 or 2 and fall no farther?

See - don't wish for retirement because this is the type of depressing conundrum that you end up focussing on.

Anyone else had the same thoughts?

Although I concede a double relegation is not beyond the realms of possibility surely not even we could manage a triple or even a quadruple demotion................................................could we ?

I would be completely shocked if we fall out of the football league. Its bad, but not that bad.
League 1 by 2019-20 wouldnt be so much of a shock, though.

That said, I think we will be a Championship club for many years to come. Maybe as many as 10-12 years..

I think our academy is too good to fall out of the championship. Not being cocky or anything.

I can't see us falling that far but obviously with the current regime and Lerner running the show, I can see us staying in the Championship for a very long time! We need an owner who cares and picks the people because of footballing attributes and not someone who can get the best sponsorship deal!

These days, I regularly get asked the question:

"Do you think Villa will come straight back up?"

To which my stock response is:

"I think we are more likely to find ourselves kicking off the 2017/18 season in League 1, than in the Premier League."

To which they almost always respond with: "What? So you think you're going to get relegated again next season?"

I then say: "No. That's not what I said."

They mostly either give me a confused look or start an argument about what I actually said / meant.

Strange. And these were native English speakers I was talking to.

In the absence of clear logical thought, language is rendered practically useless.

With things as they are, with the same people "running" the club, I can easily see a slide into League 1 happening. As we have seen and heard, there are big problems with the entire mindset of everyone at the club, everyone seems demoralised and bewildered from top to bottom. New owners are required that are capable of putting the soul back into Aston Villa. Whilst Lerner remains we are walking dead.

I think we will be in the championship for a decade.

Unless we stay up ( cough )

Good posts fellers.

My big assumption is that Lerner remains as owner and the diabolical trio of Fox, Riley and Almstadt remain. On the balance of probabilities, something will surely have to give and maybe we'll have football man on the board at the end of the season.

If, however, they remain then I think League 1 is a realistic scenario and there we would remain IMHO whilst current governance stays in place. Personally I don't think we'll fall below that (although I'm not entirely sure) mainly because of the size of out fanbase. Surely gate revenue and other sales would ensure that even Lerner could afford to buy the best League 1 players available?

However, even that assumes that he has any residual interest at all.