Martin O'Neill has resigned as Aston Villa manager
After four years in charge O’Neill has decided to end his reign with immediate effect.
Reserve team manager Kevin MacDonald will take charge of Saturday’s opener against West Ham.
In a short statement, O’Neill said: “I have enjoyed my time at Aston Villa immensely. It’s obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club.
“I would like to pay tribute to the Villa players, my coaching staff and the Villa supporters for all the support and encouragement they have given both the club and me personally during my time as manager.
I would like to pay tribute to the Aston Villa players, my coaching staff and the Aston Villa supporters
Martin O'Neill, former Aston Villa manager
“I wish them all the best for the future. I will obviously be assisting the club in the immediate short-term with regard to the handover of my duties.”
O’Neill has transformed the fortunes of Villa since replacing David O’Leary during the summer of 2006 with three consecutive top-six placings in the league.
Lerner had backed O’Neill in the transfer market during that spell but it became clear this summer that the funds would not be available to help take Villa on to the next level.
Lerner insisted that Villa would have to adopt a sell-to-buy policy and O’Neill was resigned to losing the services of midfielder James Milner to Manchester City. That followed on from skipper Gareth Barry also moving to Eastlands last year, after which he was also denied crucial funds.
A club statement this afternoon said: “Aston Villa can confirm that Martin O’Neill has resigned as manager of the football club with immediate effect.
“Kevin MacDonald, reserve team manager, has assumed the role of caretaker manager and will prepare the team for the opening Barclays Premier League game of the season against West Ham on Saturday at Villa Park.”
Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “The club would like to thank Martin for the great work he has done at Aston Villa over the past four years.
“He has helped to establish the club in the upper echelons of the Premier League, has taken us to Wembley and we have also qualified for European competition for the past three seasons under his management.
"We wish him the best in the future.”
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