Villa fans have never been so grateful for Randy Lerner.
With Kevin Keegan and Alan Curbishley both resigning from their respective posts in the last few days, the Claret and Blue faithful will be thanking the Footballing Deity for their American owner.
Lerner is a man of dignity, who only gets involved where it is necessary - in the finance department.
Having watched the disarray at both Newcastle and West Ham, you cannot help but feel how much of an antithesis Villa are to both those clubs.
The Icelandic owners at Upton Park decided to sell George McCartney without the acceptance of Curbishley.
And Magpies owner Mike Ashley acted in a similar fashion when, ironically, he sanctioned the department of James Milner to Villa without Keegan's consent.
The situations almost ran at a parallel.
As proven by history, one of the worst things a chairman can do is appoint a Director of Football.
It is a hollow job title, and the role involves constantly overruling and overpowering the manager of the club.
Time after time, owners have claimed that the so called Director will not interfere with team matters.
But, time after time, that same Director has been seen to get involved with transfers and make decisions that should be left to the manage.
Dennis Wise was given a promiscuous role at Newcastle, which apparently involved scouting and youth development. The title may as well been Director of Football, for as much as it was worth.
Unscrupulous
And when the former Leeds boss got above his station, Keegan inevitably got tired of the Wise factor.
It was clear from the day the former Leeds boss was appointed, that Ashley saw him as the long term successor to King Kev.
In fact, the appointment of Keegan was more a cover, than a coveting of instantaneous glory.
At West Ham, Gianluca Nani was brought in to oversee things.
More like oversee Curbishley.
And on transfer deadline day things came to a head.
Neither manager was given a free, unscrupulous reign in the transfer market and both were soon out the door. In contrast, at Villa Park Martin O'Neill has had nothing but liberaty ever since the summer transfer window opened.
The Northern Irish boss was allowed to make eight new signings totalling £42m, and more importantly, he was under no pressure to sell players.
Randy Lerner is looking to take Villa forward. And he realises that with his cash and O'Neill's know how, plenty of goals can be achieved - and scored.
At Newcastle and West Ham things have gone backwards and will continue to do so until the owners back the manager.
As Manchester United showed, when they stuck with Sir Alex Ferguson through thick and thin, stability is the secret to success.
Lerner and Villa are well on their way.