Aston Villa announce that Christian Purslow has left the club

Aston Villa have announced that CEO Christian Purslow has stepped down from his position with immediate effect.

The 59-year-old arrived at the club when Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens bought the club in 2018 and has played a prominent role at the club ever since.

However, the Midlands giants announced via a club statement on Monday morning that the controversial businessman has now left his post as well as resigning his position as a director.

The Athletic reported that Chris Heck will take over the running of the business side of the club, with head coach Unai Emery having complete control over footballing affairs.

The report also states that Villa are keen to bring in Monchi as sporting director to support Emery, with The Telegraph’s John Percy adding that Villa are willing to pay £1.7 million in compensation.

A complicated legacy

It is hard to properly nail down what Purslow’s lasting legacy will be at Villa Park.

He arrived with the club in the worst state it has ever been, languishing in the Championship and on the brink of administration.

The former Liverpool CEO has left the club in a much healthier state than he found it, with the club securing European football for the first time in 13 years last season.

He was also the main influence behind renovating Bodymoor Heath, expanding the North Stand and getting Villa Park a spot as a potential Euro 2028 host venue.

However, his decisions have also hurt the club’s working-class fanbase, which makes up the majority of their fans in Birmingham.

Under his stewardship, the price of kits, food and especially season tickets have skyrocketed, pricing many fans out of the club they have supported for decades.

Purslow was blamed for the decision to scrap the bottom two price bands for tickets in 2022, adversely affecting the least affluent Villa fans during a cost of living crisis.

Some will see that as the price of success in modern football, but regardless of how you spin the decision it undoubtedly stings for those affected.

He also got a string of footballing decisions wrong, with Purslow being the main force behind appointing Steven Gerrard and the unsuccessful replacements for Jack Grealish in 2021.

Sawiris seemed to sideline Purslow with the appointment of Emery last November and his influence has been on the decline since.

Purslow leaves Villa with a complex legacy and what aspects of his work you choose to place more value in determines how you view him.