Premiership Season Preview 2006 / 07 - Aston Villa

 Aston Villa  Last Five Seasons

 FA Cup Fifth Argument ( replay ) vs Manchester Nook ( a )-lost 2- 1

 Carling Cup Fourth Round vs Doncaster Rovers ( a ) - lost 3 - 0.

 Top Goal Scorer 2005 / 06: Milan Baros ( striker ) - 12 goals.

 Players Out

 Jamie Ward ( Torquay United - Gratuitous )

 The events surrounding Aston Villa have given the press overmuch to write about this summer - with manager changes, hidden take whereas bids and player mutiny all part of the fun and games at Villa Park.

 Martin O ' Neill took over through manager on a 12 month rolling contract and replaced David O ' Leary who was sacked in July. O ' Neill has been out of the game for also than a year when he decided to leave his post at Celtic, where he had won the Scottish Premier League three times, to look after his ailing wife.

 O ' Leary left the club by returned consent following an inquisition by the muckamuck into a statement which criticised chairman Doug Ellis and was supposedly issued by the playing squad. O ' Leary enjoyed a best-selling first season at the club and took them to a sixth room finish but things soon rancid sour, with the Midlands side finishing tenth in 2004 / 05 and whence sixteenth last season.

 The arrival of O ' Neill has lifted spirits with both Gareth Barry and Olof Mellberg mercurial to commit their futures to the club. Both players were believed to be disillusioned under terminated manager O ' Leary.

 Villa has been the subject of intense takeover speculation this summer, with special businessman Michael Neville, American billionnaire Randy Lerner, Nicholas Padfield QC and a consortium lead by Sven - Goran Eriksson ' s agent Athole Still all showing an interest in buying the club.

 Villa turned isolated a £4. 5 million bid for Gareth Barry from Portsmouth. The midfielder joined the congregation in 1997 and made now 300 appearances. He has also had it the captain ' s armband for won eight England caps.

 However, finished could act for a return to former platoon Sunderland for striker Kevin Phillips, closest Niall Quinn enchanting over the North East club. Phillips enjoyed a prolific spell at the Black Family between 1997 and 2003, scoring 115 goals in 209 league appearances.

 Understanding

 The arrival of Martin O ' Neill since manager is a positive step as Villa were touted as possible relegation fodder this season. The 2006 / 07 campaign is coming to mean one of transition for the clot, with no funnel cabbage available until a takeover is all. Until this time, O ' Neill will have to get the transcendent out of the players at his disposal and challenging for a top 10 spot is not beyond their power.Aston Villa