Tom Fox steps down as Villa CEO

Tom Fox has stepped down from his position as chief executive, the club has confirmed.

Fox, who arrived at Villa in August 2014, replaced Paul Faulkner in the chief executive role after the latter resigned in June 2014.

Since arriving at Villa, Fox has overseen lengthy contract extensions given to a number of players, as well as giving Paul Lambert a contract extension before eventually sacking the Scot in February with Villa hurtling towards relegation.

His tenure as Villa CEO, also saw the hiring and firing of Tim Sherwood and the appointment of his successor and current incumbent of the Villa hot seat, Remi Garde.

He also oversaw the disastrous implementation of a stats driven player recruitment model, which saw a number of players recruited in the summer who have subsequently failed to impress. One of the men brought into help implement the new strategy, Hendrik Almstadt, lost his job earlier in the week.

In his parting speech, Fox said:

“Joining Aston Villa was a huge privilege for me and while I’m bitterly disappointed by results this season, watching the Club compete at Wembley in the FA Cup Final last year is a memory I’ll cherish. I’m appreciative to the Board and the owner for the opportunity to help put Villa back on a solid footing and able to compete in the most competitive sports league in the world. Aston Villa is a proud and storied Club which deserves to be among the elite in Europe and I have every confidence that it will once again find its way back.

“Regarding my resignation, the owner made it very clear last summer that he and I would seek to recruit a Board that would put the Club in a stronger position in the event that a sale didn’t happen. As the Board has taken shape, however, it has become clear that my role also has changed. While I am supportive of where the Board is trying to take the Club, it is my feeling that given the changes they are making, it makes sense for me to seek another challenge. I have accepted the Board’s invitation to remain available during a period of transition to ensure a smooth handover.

“I would like to thank the many among the Villa family that have been very kind with their time and support and generous to me on a personal level during my time with the Club. You know who you are and you know how I feel. In the end I came to work at Aston Villa because I saw a special opportunity to help a Club in need and like many supporters, I feel as if the Club actually chose me.”

In the meantime, Villa have confirmed that Steve Hollis will temporarily become executive chairman.