In the light of the three statements yesterday, from AVFC, BCFC and the LMA, I thought it was high time Often Partisan issued one.

Tuesday 14th June was quite a momentous day in midlands football. Despite all three parties supposedly keeping their counsel and leaving it in the hands of lawyers, all three – McLeish, Aston Villa FC and Birmingham City FC made statements with varying degrees of bombast about how they were right, the others were wrong and that they were having the last word. Billy Smart would have nothing on the sideshow that yesterday was.

With this in mind, Often Partisan would like to offer some advice to each of the parties involved so that this may be settled in an amicable fashion, and not like some scrap on a playground or a flame war on an internet messageboard.

Mr Pannu: Whilst no doubt you’re annoyed that your manager has finally called your bluff and handed in his notice, releasing poorly worded statements late at night after you’ve had a couple of glasses of red wine isn’t the best idea. Yes, it’s humorous for some of us but it makes the club and the staff that work for it look bad. You’re a lawyer, aren’t you? Surely you know that sometimes it’s best to keep your mouth shut and let others hang themselves with their own words? You are increasingly making the media’s portrayal of you as a maverick and a loose cannon to be an accurate one; why give those that have an agenda against you and your boss further ammunition?

Mr McLeish: Firstly, I will accept that the statement putting your side forward wasn’t made by you but by your union; however it’s bad form for a workman to blame his tools on why he wasn’t very good at his job and the fact remains – you got Birmingham City relegated. If you’re going to take the plaudits for the cup win, you take the brickbats for the relegation. Had you not gotten Birmingham City relegated, there is more of a chance you’d have had some more money to spend, as well as a larger pay packet at the end of the month. If you were so inflamed by the board’s treatment of you; if working for them was so hard then you should have resigned the day after the season ended. Resigning now confirms you’re only interested in money; money to spend on players and money for your back pocket. Once upon a time, you were revered by some as a man of integrity. Now that reputation is forever tarnished – I hope your metaphorical thirty pieces of silver were worth it.

Mr Lerner: As far as this Birmingham City fan is concerned, you can have Mr McLeish – I’m sure you and Mr Pannu can work something out between you. And don’t let those pesky fans tell you it’s a bad idea; I’m sure you’ll all come to love watching dull, dour football that can be effective but often isn’t. Thanks for reigniting the passion of many fans in Birmingham City again, and I’m sure the compensation you do pay will go some way to easing our cashflow situation.

In short; let’s just get on with it. The thought of the claret and blue mob howling for the bosses’ scalp before he’s even taken office just fills me with joy.

with thanks to Ron for his Internet Messageboard metaphor

Tags: Alex McLeish, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Peter Pannu