John Gregory quits as Villa manager

John Gregory has resigned as manager of Aston Villa after four years in charge, leaving the club in mid-table in the Premiership.

Gregory announced his surprise decision on 24 January. The club's chairman, Doug Ellis, has accepted his resignation, and the search for a successor is under way.

Four eventful years

Gregory, a former Villa player, took over as manager in February 1998, when the club were struggling near the bottom of the table. He led them to a remarkable recovery that season, and they finished high enough to qualify for Europe.

The following season, Villa were top of the Premiership for a spell before Christmas and briefly looked like genuine title contenders, but their form faded in the second half of the campaign.

In 2000, Gregory led Villa to the FA Cup final, the last to be played at the old Wembley Stadium. They lost 1-0 to Chelsea, but reaching the final was one of the highlights of his time in charge.

Last summer, Villa won the Intertoto Cup, beating Basel in the final to secure a place in the UEFA Cup. And earlier this season they were briefly top of the league again, before a run of poor results sent them sliding back down the table.

A strained relationship

Gregory's relationship with Ellis has been strained at times. Last November, he accused the chairman of living in a "time warp" and failing to back him with enough money for new players. He was forced to apologise days later, after the comments caused an uproar.

The disagreement highlighted long-running tensions at Villa Park over the club's spending. Gregory broke the club's transfer record last January to sign the Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel for £9.5 million, but many fans believe the club has not invested enough to compete with the biggest sides.

Who will replace him?

Speculation over Gregory's successor has already begun. Former manager Graham Taylor, who returned to the club as a director last summer, has been mentioned as a possible short-term option.

Taylor led Villa to second place in the old First Division in 1990 before leaving to manage England. His return would be popular with many supporters, although he has retired from management.

Whoever takes over will inherit a squad with some talented players, including Gareth Barry, Darius Vassell, Juan Pablo Angel and Peter Schmeichel, the former Manchester United goalkeeper who joined last summer.

What next for Gregory?

Gregory is expected to return to management soon, and has been linked with Derby County, who are looking for a new manager as they battle against relegation.

For Villa, the priority is to find a manager who can stabilise the club and lead them to a strong finish this season. With a place in Europe still possible, there is plenty to play for.

Supporters will be hoping that the change of manager marks a new start, and that the club can finally match its ambitions on the pitch.