He will be joined next week by Brum coach Peter Grant and medic Dr Ian McGuiness after Villa agreed to a multi-million pound settlement for McLeish and some backroom staff.
It is a boost to McLeish with the ugly row over his services overshadowing Villa’s pre-season preparations after he controversially resigned from arch-rivals Birmingham.
McLeish claimed he was a free agent after resigning by email from relegated City citing constructive dismissal.
But Brum insisted the £5.4million buy-out clause in the Scot’s £1.7m a year contract, inked last September, was honoured.
Now Villa are coughing up in a confidential, compromise agreement - set to be formally completed next week - which will signal a Second City truce.
It spells another legal victory for Birmingham’s acting-chairman Peter Pannu, who went on the warpath.
The former Hong Kong cop and barrister successfully sued former St Andrews owners David Sullivan and David Gold last year.
And his hardline stance is poised to be vindicated again with Villa shelling out for McLeish and other key Brum personnel under contract.
But Villa owner Randy Lerner has refused to also pay up for City’s highly-rated goal-keeping coach Dave Watson, who is staying put.
Watson is the man credited with reviving the careers of both Joe Hart and Ben Foster.
But McLeish has been told to work with Villa’s existing keeping coach Rafael Gonzalez while his St Andrews No.2 Andy Watson is looking for a new club.
McLeish had a busy first day in charge yesterday as Villa’s players reported back to work under existing Villa coaches Gordon Cowans and Kevin MacDonald.
McLeish called the entire club staff into a morning meeting to tell them they must end their squabbles after flirting with relegation before finishing ninth.
Villa’s ex-Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov, who knows McLeish from his time in charge of SPL side Rangers, was impressed.
Petrov said: “People have been talking about him moving from Birmingham City here to Villa but I don’t think that matters at all.
“He’s our manager now, we’re behind him and we’re going to play for him.
The gaffer made it clear today that you need a united team and a strong dressing room and he will give everyone an equal chance from the start of the season.
“Even the guys who didn’t play a lot last season, they’re back and they were training with a smile.
“He said he expects us to win games, we’re going to be well-prepared and he wants us to be as strong as possible.
“I know him from before and I’m really glad we have someone like him in charge of our team.
“He’s a man who is a bad loser, he likes to win and he likes to be on top of everybody. I think we need a man like this.
“I think he’s the right choice of person to lead this club.
“He never gives up, he’s a battler and he’s a bad loser.
“This is good for the team and good for the team spirit.
“Everyone deserves time and he’ll prove to be the right man for this job, no question.
“Last season was a disappointment but this is a new season, a new beginning, a fresh start.”
McLeish is set for a busy few days with Downing still pushing hard to secure his dream move to Liverpool.
Winger Downing,26, has confirmed to McLeish and Villa he remains intent on a move to the Reds, who have had bids of £12m and £15m rejected.
But McLeish insisted he was in buoyant mood after his first day at the helm.
Read more:
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Aston-Villa-news-Alex-McLeish-calls-for-unity-after-is-move-from-Birmingham-as-Stweart-Downing-continues-to-demand-Liverpool-move-
