By the way, O'Kelly didn't really walk-out on the eve of the season. He told Dean at the beginning of the summer that he wanted to leave but offered/agreed to stay on longer than his notice period.
Is that correct? I've seen it reported that he stayed longer than intended to help out, but not that he had told Smith earlier.
Well make of what you will.
Football insider reporter Wayne Veysey.
"But a Villa source has told Football Insider that the experienced coach had no intention of leaving until the club moved to sideline him shortly before the new Premier League campaign.
O’Kelly was told he would be taking on a new role coaching the Under-23s rather than the first team he had worked with during his three years at the club.
The former Brentford coach, who had worked alongside Smith for 10 years, resisted Villa’s move and instead offered his resignation."