The Guardian published articles about Aston Villa which contained a number of inaccuracies that might have led some readers to believe that Martin O'Neill's management of the football club cost "phenomenal" sums of money with very little by way of success and that as a result he was justifiably dismissed without compensation.We accept that Martin O'Neill resigned from his position. He would like to make clear that he achieved a very satisfactory conclusion to his claim for constructive dismissal. Under his stewardship Aston Villa progressed from 16th place in the Premier League to three consecutive sixth-place finishes. In his final year the team also reached the final of the Carling Cup and the semi-final of the FA Cup.Figures cited in the articles were for Reform Acquisitions Limited, the parent company for a number of companies connected with Aston Villa. The only company with which Mr O'Neill had any direct connection as an employee was that responsible for the professional football club. We accept that the group loss was not Mr O'Neill's responsibility. The wage bill for Aston Villa FC was £69m, not £79m.We stated that investments in player transfers alone amounted to £138m. That figure is for expenditure on players and does not include money raised from sales of players.We are happy to put the record straight and apologise to Martin O'Neill (Aston Villa reveal cost of O'Neill's time in charge, 1 March, page 2, Sport; Villa must rely on academy players to balance books, 1 March, page 3, Sport; In sickness and in wealth: a guide to the latest accounts at England's top clubs, 19 May, page 4, Sport).
I think O'Neill was a superb manager and never wasted a single penny of any money given to him.
I wonder if he intends to track down every single bad word ever written about him and sue every medium it's written in.
Is that some strange attempt at a poem?