Aston Villa relegation: No 'smoke screen' of sale

News that Hollis was nearing a sale was released alongside the shock resignations from board members Sir Mervyn King and David Bernstein.

Their departures that took place just two months after the pair had joined the club.

Many supporters were suspicious of the announcement, and questioned its gravity, but sources say it was not a PR exercise designed to soften the blow of the double exit.

King and Bernstein's resignations from both the main board and the football board at Villa have ripped apart the upper echelons of the club.

The football board has been halved and now consists only of former FA managing director Adrian Bevington and ex-player and manager Brian Little.

Little's continued involvement was mentioned in the club statement, but Bevington's name was conspicuously absent.

Although he is still currently a member of the football board, Bevington's future at the club remains uncertain.

Villa are not yet looking for any replacements to fill the positions left by King and Bernstein. The football board, even with just two members, is still in existence.

The club's American owner Randy Lerner put Villa up for sale in 2014 but has, so far, been unable to find a buyer.

King, a former governor of the Bank of England, and Bernstein, ex-chairman of the Football Association and of Manchester City, parachuted into the club in February.

He wanted to try and rebuild Villa and "return it to its position as one of the top clubs in the world."

But, just two months later, both men left the club following a disagreement between Lerner and the football board.

Lord King, in his resignation letter to Hollis, said: "Progress has stalled.

"New leadership is desperately needed to change the culture and capacity of the club at all levels.

"It's clear the sale of the club to a new owner must be brought about as soon as possible."