Martin O'Neill quits Aston Villa days before the season

Martin O'Neill has resigned as manager of Aston Villa, just five days before the start of the new Premier League season.

The club announced his departure on 9 August. Reserve team coach Kevin MacDonald has been put in temporary charge.

A shock departure

The timing of the resignation has stunned supporters. O'Neill had taken charge of the team throughout pre-season, and Villa begin their league campaign at home to West Ham United on Saturday.

There has been speculation about tensions over transfer spending, and about the likely sale of midfielder James Milner, who has been the subject of a big-money bid from Manchester City.

Four years of progress

O'Neill was appointed in August 2006, one of the last acts of Doug Ellis before he sold the club to the American businessman Randy Lerner. He arrived to a rapturous welcome, and his time in charge has been one of the most successful periods in the club's recent history.

Villa finished sixth in the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, their best run for many years, and qualified for Europe. Last season, they reached the League Cup final, losing 2-1 to Manchester United, and the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Under O'Neill, players such as James Milner, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor became England internationals.

A frustrated ambition

But the club never quite broke into the top four and the Champions League places, despite heavy spending in the transfer market. With Lerner looking to control costs, many believe O'Neill felt he could not take the club any further.

Who next?

The club will now look for a new manager, with the season about to start. Kevin MacDonald, who has been at the club for many years, will lead the team in the meantime, and several well-known names have already been linked with the job.

Reaction

Supporters have expressed shock and disappointment, and many have praised O'Neill for restoring pride and ambition to the club. Some have questioned whether the club's owners are willing to invest enough to keep Villa challenging near the top of the table.

A former Villa hero?

O'Neill, from Northern Ireland, won the European Cup twice as a player with Nottingham Forest, and made his name as a manager at Leicester City and Celtic, where he won three Scottish league titles and reached the UEFA Cup final.

His next move is not yet known. For Villa, the priority is to steady the ship quickly, with the season starting this weekend and the transfer window still open until the end of the month.