Birmingham City accuse Aston Villa of tapping up Alex McLeish & prepare to lodge formal complaint

Gerard Houllier – Alex McLeish , Aston Villa vs Birmingham City (Getty Images)

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Birmingham City have revealed that they are set to lodge a complaint against rivals Aston Villa for tapping up Alex McLeish.

McLeish is among the favourites for the Villa job after Gerard Houllier left the club by mutual consent earlier this month following concerns over his health.

On Tuesday, Villa announced their intention to interview McLeish over the club’s vacant manager’s position after the former Rangers man tendered his resignation at St Andrew’s by e-mail days before.

Villa believe McLeish is a free agent and is available to speak to, but as Birmingham are yet to accept the Scot’s resignation, they see their rivals’ public declaration of their attempts to interview him as tapping up.

A statement on Birmingham’s official website reads: “Birmingham City Football Club finds Aston Villa’s announcement today (Tuesday) to proceed with an interview with Alex McLeish a contempt of Premier League and FA rules.

“The club feel this will taint football and give the game and the footballing authorities a bad name if this is allowed to materialise.

“The club will do what is within its powers to prevent this and will lodge a formal complaint to the authorities tomorrow as there is now not the slightest doubt remaining about this tap up attempt.

“Birmingham City FC stresses that this conduct, if condoned, will open up flood gates and set a very bad precedent.”

The statement went on to hit back at claims against Birmingham on Villa’s statement earlier in the day, whilst they have declared that no further comments will be made until all the legal proceedings have been dealt with.

It concluded: “The allegations against the club, president Carson Yeung and the Board are frivolous excuses and without foundation.

“The matter is now with Birmingham City FC’s lawyers and no further comments will be made.”

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