Collymore targets Villa deal
05 Oct 2006 - 10:56:36
Former England striker Stan Collymore has set his sights on a return to Aston Villa after deciding to come out of retirement.
The 35-year-old left the game in 2001 but is convinced he is still capable of playing Premiership football.
He knows it will be difficult to secure a contract with a top-flight club, but hopes to persuade Villa boss Martin O'Neill, who once signed him for Leicester City, to give him a chance.
Collymore's agent, Simon Kennedy, told the Daily Mirror: "The time Stan spent at Villa was a massive disappointment to him. He would love the chance to go back and set the record straight.
"Gareth Barry is still one of his closest friends, they are in regular contact, and Stan even has the word 'claret' as part of his e-mail address. He has a lot of sympathy with the club he supported as a boy.
"There are a group of clubs Stan would be prepared to come and train with for a couple of weeks. Villa are definitely one of those clubs and he would jump at the opportunity if it were to arise.
"During his time at Villa, he was in the worst mental state of his career.
"Only when he worked with Martin O'Neill at Leicester did things pick up, but when Martin left the problem started again."