Neville Looking For Imminent Strike

Michael Neville has been talking in today’s Sunday Mercury.

He said: “It is true to say that I have accelerated my efforts to make a bid for Aston Villa. I believe I have backers but cannot reveal any more than that. The timescale is short. If anything is going to happen, it would have to happen soon.”

He has also admitted that his name has long been associated with a takeover after he fronted an attempt by the Comers last year (something Doug has hidden behind ever since!).

Neville said: “Villa fans must be fed up with hearing my name associated with a takeover, but if I can`t make it work this time, then I can`t make it work at all. This is an exciting prospect, the result of a year`s work for me and I say that I have the best interests of Aston Villa at heart.”

Fair enough, I doubt that this will be the only approach, but then again, what is acceptable will be decided by the shareholders, mainly Doug Ellis with 38% (including family interests) and Jack Petchey (Treffic Ltd) who has the balance of power in many ways with 20%. For all the criticism of Neville, at least he has kept in there and continued to attempt to generate the funds to front a take-over, far better than just sloping off with his tale between his legs surely?

He also confirms that O’Neil would be ideal as Villa manager, “As for Martin O`Neill, it would be fantastic to have him. Any club that has him on board would be very fortunate. He is top of the tree.”

I must say, as a fellow life long Villa fan, I’m a bit disappointed to see he won’t be looking at my application for the managers job though. Oh well, maybe I could be a part of the squad? I play a mean ‘left-back in the changing room’. Other than that, Doris the tea lady is now passed it and I make a mean herbal tea.