McLeish crosses the city to take the Aston Villa job

Alex McLeish has been appointed manager of Aston Villa, five days after resigning as manager of their fierce local rivals Birmingham City.

Villa confirmed the appointment on 17 June. It is the first time a manager has moved directly from Birmingham City to Aston Villa, and the move has provoked anger among supporters of both clubs.

A move that shocked football

McLeish resigned from Birmingham on 12 June, just weeks after the club were relegated from the Premier League, and only four months after he had led them to victory over Arsenal in the League Cup final.

Blues supporters are furious that the man who brought them only their second major trophy has left to join their bitterest rivals. Villa supporters, meanwhile, are unhappy with the appointment of a manager who has been relegated twice with Birmingham in four seasons, and whose teams are seen as playing a negative style of football.

Several hundred Villa fans protested at Villa Park when it emerged that owner Randy Lerner had begun talks with McLeish.

Legal threats

Birmingham's directors have threatened legal action against Villa, accusing them of making an illegal approach to McLeish while he was still under contract. Acting chairman Peter Pannu has said Villa should pay the compensation due under the terms of his contract.

Replacing Houllier

McLeish replaces Gerard Houllier, who left Villa by mutual consent on 1 June because of ill health, after less than a year in charge. Houllier was taken to hospital with chest pains in April, and assistant manager Gary McAllister took charge of the team for the rest of the season.

Houllier had himself replaced Martin O'Neill, who resigned days before the start of last season after leading Villa to three successive sixth-place finishes.

McLeish's record

McLeish, a former Scotland captain and manager, won trophies as a manager with Rangers before joining Birmingham in 2007. He took Blues back to the Premier League at the first attempt after relegation in 2008, and to ninth place in 2010, before this season's League Cup triumph and relegation.

A difficult start

The new manager faces the task of winning over a sceptical fanbase. Villa's squad is expected to change significantly this summer, and McLeish will need a strong start to the season to ease the pressure.

Blues look for a successor

Birmingham are now searching for a new manager to lead them in the Championship and in next season's Europa League. The club is also dealing with uncertainty over its finances following relegation.

The move has added a new and bitter twist to the Second City derby, one of the most intense rivalries in English football. With Blues relegated, the two clubs will not meet in the league next season, but supporters on both sides will not forget this summer quickly.