Alex McLeish is well aware of the controversial nature of his appointment as Aston Villa boss from city rivals Birmingham, but will make every effort to win the fans over. The Scot made the move across the city just five days after resigning from his post at St Andrew's.
McLeish, who becomes the third full time manager in 10 months, told Villa's website: "I am honoured to have this opportunity to manage a club with such a fantastic history.
"The heritage, the history of success and the tradition of Aston Villa are compelling and irresistible. The challenge for me is to try to add my own chapter.
"Since first becoming a manager at Motherwell, my desire to succeed and my energy and drive have never waned. My objective is to impart that drive and will to win to the players and fans of Aston Villa.
"I know that some of our fans have voiced concerns and I can understand why. It will be up to me to convince you that I am the right man to drive the club forward and I intend to give absolutely everything to prove that I can be a success at the club."
Villa's chief executive Paul Faulkner said: "We believe we have appointed the right man for the job. Unquestionably, Alex meets the criteria we set out at the beginning of our search which was based on proven Premier League experience, leadership, a hard-working ethic and, most importantly, a shared vision for Aston Villa.
"Alex is someone with whom we will work close and work well together. With our strong squad combining the necessary virtues of experience and the exciting potential of our young players, our objective is to compete as strongly as we possibly can.
"Alex's vast experience and proven abilities demonstrate clearly that he is a strong leader and an ambitious man and we are looking forward very much to the exciting new season about to start."
