Birth Date: May 13 1976
birth place: Haverfordwest
Birth Nation: England
Height: 185cm
Weight: 78kg
Nationality: British
Position: Defender
Mark Delaney Rumours and Transfers
17 08 2007
2 teenagers were given the chance to prove they are good enough to replace the retired Mark Delaney in the Wales squad.
Manager John Toshack was hit Wednesday by confirmation that Delaney had reluctantly decided to give up the battle to recover from 3 serious knee injuries.
The Villa man was Toshack's most experienced defender, however now he has to quickly find alternatives with the last batch of Euro 2008 qualifiers later this season.
So he has promoted Cardiff's Chris Gunter and Oldham's Neil Eardley from the U21 team and added them to the senior party that travels to Bulgaria Monday for a friendly, due to be played in Bourgas Wednesday.
From Toshack's point of view, he has to find alternatives to Delaney quickly so there is little point in leaving the 2 18 year-olds in the U21 team that plays Sweden in Hallmstad Tuesday.
Toshack has also lost The Hammers defender James Collins, who has withdrawn from the senior team with a groin injury, whilst Wrexham's Steve Evans is also doubtful.
Gunter, 18, has already won his 1st cap in last season's friendly draw with New Zealand, a game that saw Eardley on the bench.
But the Oldham youngster has much more 1st team experience than his Cardiff rival and expects to be given the chance to impress against Bulgaria.
U21 coach Brian Flynn has now lost a clutch of youngsters from a team due to fly out from Heathrow Monday.
Crystal Palace's Rhoys Wiggins has also been forced to withdraw, reportedly with some problems with his recovery from a serious cruciate knee ligament injury that kept him out for a year.
Flynn has added Wrexham's Neil Taylor and Walsall's Mark Bradley to the U21s. Taylor is the under-19 skipper, and Bradley made his U21 debut in N. Ireland last season. Lincoln's Owain Warlow was called in to replace Wiggins.
15 08 2007
Thomas Sorensen is seeking showdown talks with Villa manager Martin O'Neill after Scott Carson's arrival at Villa Park.
The Denmark keeper was sidelined with a hamstring injury and Stuart Taylor, who has a calf strain, was deputising, however Sorensen said, "I have asked the manager for a meeting and I expect to have it this week. It seems strange they spend a lot of money on Scott Carson when we already have 2 good keepers in the squad."
Villa defender Mark Delaney has said his retirement after admitting defeat in his battle with injury.
15 08 2007
Villa defender Mark Delaney retired from football Wednesday due to knee injuries.
The 31 year old fullback, who played 36 times for Wales, played only 158 English Premier League games in more than 8 years with Villa due to persistent knee problems.
He twice had surgery last year under knee specialist Dr. Richard Steadman, who successfully operated on England forwards Michael Owen and Alan Shearer, however was unable to recover sufficiently.
"Mark has tried absolutely everything," Villa manager Martin O'Neill said. "He's been dedicated, coming in here every single day. Everything he's been asked to do, he's done. He's gone to the very best people and he's tried everything. I am sure he has a future in the game and I wish him all the very best in whatever he does."
Villa mentioned Delaney plans to become a coach.
Delaney played his last match in February's 1-1 draw with Manchester City, being replaced at halftime of the FA Cup game by Liam Ridgewell.
He was on monthly contracts since his regular deal with Villa lapsed in June.
"This is a very sad day for me and this is not a decision I have taken lightly," Delaney said.
"But, having taken everything into consideration, I feel this is the right decision for myself and my family."
13 08 2007
Tottenham full back Gareth Bale was named in the Wales team to face Bulgaria in a friendly next week however was immediately declared doubtful for the match in Bourgas by manager John Toshack.
Toshack is acutely aware that the 18 year old is struggling with a hamstring injury and did not play for Spurs at Sunderland at the weekend.
But Toshack said, "I am aware that he is a major doubt, however I can wait until the weekend to see how he recovers. Maybe Spurs would would like him to have 45 minutes with us, however I can understand them being concerned."
Toshack, however, has not named Villa's Mark Delaney in the team with rumours that the right back is about to announce his retirement due to a persistent knee problem.
Delaney had further surgery in the summer, and Toshack is aware that his most experienced defender is facing a tough decision.
Toshack said, "We are concerned for Mark, he last played for us 12 months ago and he is our most experienced defender. I only hope that things do turn out okay for him, however even though we have spoken to Villa about him we are not getting quite as bad a feedback as some are suggesting."
The match in Bulgaria is Wales' build up to the Euro 2008 double-header next month against Germany and Slovakia.
But Toshack has not asked Toronto midfielder Carl Robinson to make the flight from Canada, and then a long trip to eastern Europe, for this friendly.
Although England were contemplating David Beckham making several long distance flights from the States for their matches, Toshack does not want to give Robinson unnecessary flights and travelling before he expects to return to Europe a few weeks later for the qualifiers.
Toshack said, "This is a decision to avoid Carl having to make more flights than needed, I would rather he only came over for the Euro 2008 games."
Toshack has named Wolves forward Freddy Eastwood again, the 23 year old missing out last season on winning his 1st cap against New Zealand due to injury.
Wayne Hennessey, 20, expects to retain the goalkeeper's jersey whilst Gillingham's Andrew Crofts would start the match in place of Robinson.
Full Squad, Hennessey (Wolves), Price (Derby), Bale (Tottenham), D Collins (Sunderland), J Collins (West Ham), Evans (Wrexham), Gabbidon (West Ham), Morgan (Peterborough), Nyatanga (Derby), Ricketts (Hull), Crofts (Gillingham), S Davies (Fulham), M Jones (Wrexham), Koumas (Wigan), Ledley (Cardiff), Vaughan (Crewe), Bellamy (West Ham), Earnshaw (Derby), Eastwood (Wolves), Nardiello (QPR).
U21 Squad, Taylor (Chelsea) O. Fon Williams (Crewe), Eardley (Oldham), Gunter (Cardiff), Jacobson (Bristol Rovers), M.Williams (Wrexham), Wiggins (Crystal Palace), R.Williams (Boro), Allen (Swansea), Blake (Cardiff), Collins (Fulham), D.Edwards (Luton), McDonald (Swansea), Ramsey (Cardiff), Church (Reading), Cotterill (Wigan), C.Evans (Manchester City), Vokes (Bournemouth).
08 08 2007
Martin O'Neill says Villa owner Randy Lerner has not put a cap on his spending plans in the summer.
O'Neill was promised "significant funds" by Lerner but to date has only signed the The Hammers duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
West Bromwich Albion are will not accept less than £8 million for captain Curtis Davies, another O'Neill target, however the former Celtic manager is adamant he retains the full financial backing of Lerner.
O'Neill said, "Randy Lerner has not put a cap on anything I might spend and it is about me trying to find the proper acquisitions for us to be of a reasonable strength. I have had a number of conversations with him. He is leaving things up to me and he has, and will continue to be supportive, and that will be shown. We have a nucleus of a good side. Not numerically speaking, however in terms of quality I think we are getting there however I have every intention of adding to the squad. Ideally I would like to go back to the size of team that we had at the end of last season. We have lost 6 or 7 players and only enhanced it by 2 so far."
Craig Gardner is looking favourite to fill the right back position against Liverpool Monday unless O'Neill can bring in new blood in that position in the next 72 hours.
Midfielder Gardner played there for the opening 45 minutes of Villa's final pre season friendly against Walsall Tuesday evening.
O'Neill is short of right backs since the departure of Aaron Hughes to Fulham and the continuing doubts over Mark Delaney's fitness.
03 08 2007
Villa have parted company with midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba after cancelling the remainder of his contract by mutual consent.
Djemba-Djemba cost Villa £1.35 million when he moved from his boyhood heroes Man Utd 2 and a half years ago however he has made only a minimal impact with the midlands club.
The Cameroon international slipped so far down the pecking order at Villa Park that he was loaned out to Coca Cola Championship strugglers Burnley for the 2nd half of last season.
It was a far cry from when Alex Ferguson signed Djemba-Djemba from Nantes as a probable long term successor for Roy Keane at Old Trafford.
With the arrival of Nigel Reo-Coker and the emergence of youngster Craig Gardner, his prospects at Villa were even bleaker this season and a parting of the ways for the 26 year old was inevitable.
O'Neill admitted, "It is fair to say that Eric has not really experienced the best of times since he arrived here from Old Trafford a few years ago. We have agreed to part company and this arrangement will have given the Eric the opportunity to rebuild and reignite his career and he goes with our best wishes."
Meanwhile, defender Mark Delaney's days at Villa would also be numbered after a longstanding battle against knee problems.
When asked about Delaney's future, O'Neill would only say, "I think that Mark could make that decision in the next few days for himself. I would rather anything that has to be mentioned about that would come from Mark 1st. That is probably the way he would would like it."
Delaney was on a monthly contract with Villa since his previous deal ran out in June in a bid to try and prove his fitness.
12 06 2007
Wales defender Mark Delaney expects to return to training at Villa next week.
The 31 year old has not played for the Premier League club since February 2006 due to recurring knee injuries.
He is out of contract in June, however manager Martin O'Neill has promised him the summer to prove his fitness.
"I see light at the end of the tunnel and at the moment the knee thinks as good as ever, however I'll only know when I play," Delaney informed Villa's website.
"I am confident at the moment, however as to a new contract I'll see how I react when I start running again."
Delaney was at Villa for nearly 8 years however has become increasingly prone to injury in recent seasons.
