Paul Lambert named Aston Villa manager

Paul Lambert has been appointed manager of Aston Villa, three weeks after Alex McLeish was sacked following a season in which the club only narrowly avoided relegation.

Villa confirmed the appointment of the former Norwich City manager on 2 June.

A remarkable record at Norwich

Lambert, a former Scotland midfielder who won the Champions League as a player with Borussia Dortmund in 1997, has built an impressive reputation as a manager. He took Norwich from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions, and this season guided them to a comfortable 12th place finish in the top flight.

His arrival has been welcomed by supporters, who see him as a young, ambitious manager with a record of building successful teams on a limited budget.

A season to forget

Lambert takes over after one of the worst seasons in Villa's history. Under McLeish, who was appointed last summer after leaving Birmingham City, Villa finished 16th, just two points above the relegation zone.

The team won only seven league games, the fewest in a season in the club's history, and collected just 38 points. Their home record was the worst in the club's 138-year history, with only 19 points from 57 available. McLeish was sacked on 14 May, the day after the season ended.

His appointment had been controversial from the start, as he had just managed Birmingham City, Villa's fierce local rivals, and had been relegated with them.

Petrov's illness

The season was also overshadowed by the news that captain Stiliyan Petrov had been diagnosed with acute leukaemia. Supporters of Villa and many other clubs showed their support, and fans applauded in the 19th minute of matches in recognition of his squad number.

A new direction

Lambert will be expected to bring a new approach. The club announced a financial loss of £53.9 million in February, and owner Randy Lerner has cut spending. Lambert is expected to focus on younger, hungrier players rather than expensive signings.

Several senior players are leaving this summer, with their contracts not renewed, which gives the new manager the chance to reshape the squad.

The task ahead

Villa have not been out of the top flight since 1988, and Lambert's first priority will be to make sure there is no repeat of last season's relegation scare. Supporters will hope he can bring back some of the excitement of the Martin O'Neill years, when Villa challenged for a place in Europe.

The new season begins in August, and Lambert will now begin work on pre-season preparations, including a tour of the United States.