Summary
ASTON Villa supporters may have mixed feelings about the appointment of Alex McLeish, but don't expect Barry Bannan to be joining the protest groups any time soon. The only Scot in the Villa Park first team told the Sunday Herald last night that he fully endorses Randy Lerner's decision to enlist his fellow countryman, regardless of the fact he joined them almost immediately after resigning from rivals Birmingham City. Not only has the 21-year-old spoken regularly with McLeish after reserve team matches, and also after last year's Carling Cup meeting between the two teams, he has since received a glowing recommendation from James McFadden, with whom he had a recent chance meeting in Birmingham Airport.
Bannan's relaxing summer break in the Algarve may have been disturbed by the daily chore of following despatches on the internet - Mark Hughes, Steve McClaren and Roberto Martinez were all previously linked with the Villa post - but he is content with the outcome. "I've been online every day having a look and trying to keep up with what has been happening," the Scotland international said. "To be honest when every name has been coming out I have been trying to find positives in them all. Martinez, for instance, tried to get me on loan to Swansea a couple of years back, but I decided to go to Blackpool instead. So that would have been good for me as well.See the full content of this document
Extract
; One-Man Welcoming Party
"But I have spoken to Alex a few times - they beat us in the cup last year - and he seems like a great guy. I have just come back from Portugal an...
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