Aston Villa fires manager Alex McLeish

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa fired manager Alex McLeish on Monday after narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

The Scot was an unpopular appointment among many Villa fans after he took local rival Birmingham down from the top division last season. A winless run stretching to nine matches saw Villa finish just two points clear of the drop zone.

"We need to be clear and candid with ourselves and with supporters about what we have lacked in recent years," Villa owner Randy Lerner said. "Compelling play and results that instill a sense of confidence that Villa is on the right track have been plainly absent.

"The most immediate action that we can take is to look carefully at our options in terms of bringing in a new manager who sees the club's potential and embraces our collective expectations."