Gerard Houllier's backroom team announced

The Club is pleased to announce that Gary McAllister has agreed to become assistant manager to Gerard Houllier, while Gordon Cowans will become first team coach.

Former Scotland international McAllister, capped 57 times, was described by the new Villa manager as "my most inspirational signing" during their time at Liverpool where McAllister played an integral role in the unique treble triumph of 2001 (Uefa Cup, FA Cup and League Cup).

He has also managed at Coventry City and Leeds United.

Villa legend Cowans, who was capped 10 times for England, joined Villa as an apprentice when he was 15 years old and in three spells at the club made a total of 527 appearances.

He won the league in 1981 and the European Cup in 1982 and has been coaching Villa's youth for many years.

Rafa Gonzalez, who came to the club in the 2007-08 season as goalkeeping coach to the reserve team, will be goalkeeping coach and Robert Duverne, who worked with Houllier at Lyon where they won back-to-back titles, will assist as coach/fitness coach.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2157961,00.html

Nice to see Sid - a fellow ex St George's school pupil move up - but would seem to confirm that MacDonald is leaving methinks - if so he deserves all our thanks for the work he has put in over the years

I hope Sid is not just a choice to appease the fans

I agree - I know that the fact he went to my school is his claim to fame - perhaps the club should take a wider view than just to play off the fact they have me as a celeb fan

Lionheart wrote:Nice to see Sid - a fellow ex St George's school pupil move up - but would seem to confirm that MacDonald is leaving methinks - if so he deserves all our thanks for the work he has put in over the years

He could probably still do a better job than NRC and Petrov.