Villa Charged With Illegal Approach

[Holte Ender]

Thought this deserved a seperate thread; there will be a lot of talk on it :
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The Premier League has charged Aston Villa after they allegedly made an illegal approach for Southampton striker James Beattie during the summer.

Villa boss David O'Leary made no secret of his desire to sign Beattie and Villa had two bids of around £6million rejected by the Saints.

Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe was unhappy with what he viewed as O'Leary's attempts to unsettle the player and made an official complaint after taking exception to the Irishman's claim that Beattie wanted to move to Villa Park.

After the bids were rejected O'Leary told the club's official website: "All I can say is that I think there's a player there that definitely wants to join us.

"He has an opportunity to join a few people, but I think he sees the way we play is good for strikers and that he'll get a few goals.

"Beattie to me fits the bill for us. If we can't get him we go without."

Lowe believed the remarks were in breach of regulations that prevent managers making comments about players contracted to rival clubs that could be construed as enticement.

Villa are yet to make an official response to developments but, with a hefty fine in prospect if they are found guilty, are believed to be planning to contest the charge.

[Natalya]

Oh, I just posted that in the transfers and rumours thread!

[Holte Ender]

Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe has welcomed the news that the Premier League has decided to act on his complaint about an alleged illegal approach by Aston Villa for James Beattie.

The Saints twice rejected bids of around £6million for the striker from the Midlands club during the summer, but it was the comments of Villa boss David O'Leary that enraged Lowe.

The Irishman suggested that Beattie wanted to join Villa, but the Saints believed his remarks contravened Premier League rules about enticement of contracted players.

They made a formal complaint to the Premier League which led to Villa being charged for the alleged illegal approach.

"It is a Premier League matter and it is in their hands now so we will wait to see what they decide," Lowe told the club's official website.

"We felt that Aston Villa made an illegal approach for James Beattie while he was still under contract to us and without our permission.

"The Premier League have set up a commission to look into this so we await their verdict with interest."

Aston Villa strenuously denies the allegation and will contest the charge

[Holte Ender]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natalya

Oh, I just posted that in the transfers and rumours thread!

where?

nuh I deleted it, may aswell open a thread for discussion on the matter. But like you said, no doubt the fine will be coming out of our January transfer budget ..

[Holte Ender]

Aston Villa have confirmed that they will fight a Premier League charge of making an alleged illegal approach for Southampton striker James Beattie.

The Premier League revealed on Tuesday that they had appointed an independent commission to look into the case, after Saints chairman Rupert Lowe made an official complaint about the conduct of Villa boss David O'Leary.

If found guilty Villa could face a range of punishments including a points deduction, although a fine is the most likely outcome after that sanction was handed to Liverpool when they were found guilty of making an illegal approach for Middlesbrough's Christian Ziege.

However, Villa insisted that both they and O'Leary have done nothing wrong.

A Villa spokesman told the club's official website: "We have requested a personal hearing for the manager, at which we will be strenuously denying all allegations brought in the charge."

The charge stems from the Midlands club's attempts to sign Beattie during the summer transfer window, when they had two bids in the region of £6million rejected.

After seeing his side beat Southampton 2-0 on the opening day of the season, O'Leary told the club's official website: "All I can say is that I think there's a player there who definitely wants to join us.

"He has an opportunity to join a few people, but I think he sees the way we play is good for strikers and that he will get a few goals."

Lowe believed the comments contravened Premier League rules about enticing contracted players and made a complaint, leading to Tuesday's charge.

[Holte Ender]

Points deduction would suck, Lowe is a little bitch.

[Natalya]

Lowe is desperate to take heat off himself and also to cling onto Beattie - the only serious club interested in Beattie is Villa, so he wants to try and sabotage any bids by reporting us and getting us a hefty fine - its very underhand!

[Holte Ender]

don't see what the big problem is? what in O'Leary's approach was illegal? He made 2 bids for him and made his interest in Beattie public- so what? He spoke his mind and obviously, from the conversation he had with Beattie, said he felt he wanted to join us. How can we get done for that, Beattie is the one giving O'Leary that information so he is obviously unsettled at a nowhere club like Soton. Rupert Lowe and his club are nothing more than loooosersss

[Natalya]

George Graham before the game ridiculed these charges saying that is Villa are found guilty then most other clubs are also guilty. He said that its a little pique on Soton's behalf because someone is showing interest in Beattie and they are desperate to cling onto him!

[Holte Ender]

yeah, thats a realist right there for ya.
but then again, George Graham also predicted a very tight game with us winning by the odd goal

[Natalya]

Hey, lets not get too cocky yet - there is still another 45 mins to go and Pompey have come out so far with some determination!

[Holte Ender]

Aston Villa boss David O'Leary has laughed off suggestions that he made an illegal approach for Southampton striker James Beattie.

The Villains have been hit with a Premier League charge relating to the alleged illegal approach, after Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe complained about comments O'Leary made in the wake of a failed bid for Beattie during the summer transfer window.

However, the Irishman insisted he had done nothing wrong and that his remarks were no different to those made by managers to journalists about transfer targets on a daily basis.

He said: "I've never been on a charge before and I'm looking forward to going down there and seeing what the premises are like!

"We will defend it vigorously and I'm looking forward to defending it vigorously because we don't think we have done anything wrong.

"If everyone was to be charged on what things were said in the media, I think the offices of the FA or the Premier League would be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day!

"I saw on the text on TV on Thursday that Graeme Souness says he wants to buy Robert Huth. Isn't that what we are being charged about?

"I think every day managers are responding to questions about players. You are asked an honest question and you respond.

"We responded quite rightly in the same way after the Southampton game.

"We were asked if we were interested in a signing and we had to give comments back on it."

The Premier League have appointed an independent commission to investigate the allegation against Villa but no date has yet been set for a hearing.

[Holte Ender]

Fuming Aston Villa boss David O'Leary cannot believe he faces a Football Association charge over claims he made an illegal approach for James Beattie.

O'Leary said there was "a player who wants to join us" after Villa's game at Beattie's former club Southampton on the opening day of the season.

The striker has since signed for Everton and O'Leary is baffled as to why he faces the charge.

"For me to be on a charge for this when I see what goes on in the game is an absolute disgrace," said the former Republic of Ireland international.

"I've never been on a charge before and I'm looking forward to going down to London and defending it vigorously because we don't think we've done anything wrong.

"If everyone was to be charged on what things were said in the media, I think the offices of the FA or the Premier League would be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

"I saw on the text on TV a certain manager saying he wants to buy a certain player. Isn't that what we are being charged about?

"I think every day managers are responding to questions about players. You are asked an honest question and you respond.

"We responded quite rightly in the same way after the Southampton game. We were asked if we were interested in a signing and we had to give comments back on it."

Villa could face a warning, fine or even a points deduction if they are found guilty.

[Holte Ender]

Well we were found guilty but got the smallest punishment which was a reprimand. Rupert Lowe came out with a smile on his face as if to say he's succeeded in his stupid case for the player whos already gone, whereas O'Leary came out laughing at the stupidity of the situation

[Natalya]

I think Lowe was probably being diplomatic! We also probably very grateful the FA didn't fine us! But it's ridiculous, all clubs act like this - I bet they wouldn't have slapped a court order on Fergie if he had said what DOL did - they would have been too scared knowing that Fergie would have cussed them down!

[Natalya]

Villa guilty of Beattie approach

Aston Villa have been found guilty and reprimanded by the FA Premier League over a charge of making an illegal approach for striker James Beattie.
But the club will not be fined after boss David O'Leary said "there is a player there who wants to join us" following a match with Southampton.

Villa were beaten by Everton in the race to sign Beattie in January.

"We're disappointed with the guilty verdict, but we had a fair hearing," said Villa spokesman Phil Mepham.

"The commission said to us that there were mitigating and exceptional circumstances in the case and as a consequence they have given us the lowest possible punishment of a reprimand. We accept it and move on."

Villa were handed the punishment following a hearing that lasted almost six hours at the Premier League's headquarters.

The commission reached its verdict after hearing evidence from Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe as well as Villa's representatives.

Before the hearing, O'Leary labelled the charge as a "farce", saying Saints had already made it known that the player was up for sale.

"For me to be on a charge for this when I see what goes on in the game is an absolute disgrace," said O'Leary.

[Holte Ender]

thank God we didnt get deducted points.