Source: Daily_Mail
Dinner's on me! O'Neill makes a meal out of fielding understrength UEFA side
Dinner's on me: Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill named an understrength side in the UEFA Cup tie against CSKA Moscow[LNB] Martin O'Neill has promised to treat every Aston Villa[LNB]supporter who travelled to Moscow to a private dinner after he fielded an under-strength team in the UEFA Cup.[LNB]The Irishman made the unprecedented gesture as the team flew back from the Russian capital on Friday following the2-0 defeat against CSKA Moscow.[LNB]O'Neill left eight regular first-teamers at home and some of the 290 supporters who made the trip and bought their tickets via the club —chanted 'We want our money back' at the final whistle, booing the manager as he went to applaud them.[LNB]Some had forked out £1,200 to make the three day trip and were unhappy as they felt the club had not paid the competition sufficient respect, particularly as it had been seven years since Villa last qualified for the UEFA Cup.[LNB]O'Neill admitted: 'It is a shame that I've had to make a decision like this and it's the number of games we have had to play that has been behind it. [LNB]'The end of the season will define whether it was good, bad or indifferent.'[LNB] ASTON VILLA v Stoke: Main men back in action as Villa look for a return to winning ways[LNB]CSKA 2 Aston Villa 0 (agg 3-1): O'Neill defends the kids' stuff in Moscow[LNB]ASTON VILLA FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB][LNB]However, on the flight home, O'Neill made a point of speaking to the 40 fans on the official trip.[LNB]Randy Lerner agreed to the offer, which will cost about £15,000.[LNB]O'Neill explained his reasoning behind the team selection and offered to host the dinner with a sprinkling of first team players.[LNB] Rookie Nathan Delfouneso was part of an understrength side that played in Villa's midweek defeat in Moscow[LNB]He walked back to his seat at the front of the plane to a round of applause.[LNB]Ashley Quarterman, from Redditch, said: 'It was a fantastic gesture he didn't have to do it. [LNB]'I'd have settled for a personal explanation from him as to why he picked the team he did.[LNB]'But he's gone up in my estimation as a person.'[LNB]Mark Hateley, who has spent £18,000 on taking his family to each of Villa's six away-days in Europe this season, said: 'In my eyes, Martin didn't have anything to apologise for.'[LNB] ASTON VILLA v Stoke: Main men back in action as Villa look for a return to winning ways[LNB]CSKA 2 Aston Villa 0 (agg 3-1): O'Neill defends the kids' stuff in Moscow[LNB]ASTON VILLA FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
