Aston Villa supporters in Villa Park's Holte End have been urged to not take their seats at the start of Saturday's Premier League match against Liverpool in a protest against the running of the club.
An open letter titled 'We Want Our Villa Back' posted on three supporters' websites tells fans in Villa's most raucous stand to wait until the ninth minute of the game before they occupy their seat.
The eight absent minutes represent each of the eight seasons that the club has been owned by Randy Lerner.
The letter reads: "For reasons only a few people know, Paul Lambert was awarded a new contract this season after two seasons of underachievement. But as it's the decision of the club to stick with the manager and in our role as supporters, knowing the owner isn't going to change his mind while trying to sell the club, we have to play our part.
"However, things are not right at Aston Villa and it's not just under Paul Lambert. There have been too many seasons of under achievement and this great club and its supporters deserve better.
"It's clear to the footballing world that things are not as they should be at Aston Villa and unless things change soon, the decline will continue."
Villa are 13th in the Premier League, but have scored just 11 goals in 21 games this season.
Pascal Lemesre
