Taylor leaves deal decisions to Board

Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor will let chairman Doug Ellis and the board of directors decide whether they are prepared to “bite the bullet” and allow out-of-favour big money signings – such as Alpay and Bosko Balaban – to leave on free transfers.

Ellis has been renowned for driving a hard bargain but it is a sign of the current financial climate that he today allowed former England midfielder Steve Stone, a £5.5million signing from Nottingham Forest, to leave for nothing.