By Dan Harrison

Randy Lerner says his affection for Villa is deeper than when he first fell for the club.

The chairman feels his experiences during his three seasons at the helm have made his love for the club grow stronger.

He said: "It's been beyond success for me. I've been really excited and feel very lucky about it.

"I know more people and relationships get you deeper into the experience.

"You get a taste of what can be done and I suppose you get more competitive in terms of feeling you can get it done.

"I think that being able to get involved with infrastructure gets exciting."

When asked if his bond with Villa's supporters has been pleasing, he added: "I would choose words that are more dramatic than pleasing - it has been fantastic."