Lerner committed to Villa

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has reiterated his commitment to the club.

Recent reports suggested the 49-year-old American businessman was pondering selling up, but he insisted in an interview with The Times that he has no plans to do so as things stand.

Asked whether he was still committed to the Barclays Premier League club, he replied: "Yes."

On whether he could envisage selling, he responded: "No.

"Not unless it's something to do with the kids - news you could never expect."

Lerner has attended only one home game this season, but puts that down to domestic issues. He has four children and the son who lives with him has changed schools in the United States.

He added: "I get the idea that, 'You haven't been at games, what does that mean?'

"But while being in the right seat at the right game might create short-term reassurance, I can't get over the idea that really what people feel is that their club is being run by a group of guys who know the history, study the heritage and view Villa as a proud Victorian club in its third century."

Lerner, who bought Villa in 2006 for £62.6million, also owns American football team the Cleveland Browns.