Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill: We have entertained the fans

May 25 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

“We do play openly both home and away and your heart is in your mouth.”

O’Neill does not believe the demotion of a major Premier League player like Newcastle will make Villa’s chances of top-four success any easier next season.

“I don’t see it like,” he added. “Obviously they’re in a bit of turmoil and you just feel that when they get it right it will be explosive for them.

“But there will be too many other sides who will be getting stronger – Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City immediately spring to mind.

“I just think that it will be hard enough and I think there will be general disappointment that Newcastle have gone down.”

Curtis Davies was delighted that Villa sent their supporters home for the summer on a high by signing off with a victory.

And the defender believes the higher points tally is evidence that O’Neill’s ambitious team are heading in the right direction.

Davies insists the events of this season have given members of the Villa Park dressing room extra hunger to push on next term.

“It was a clean sheet and a good performance,” he said.

“We’ve had a few one-nils this season where we’ve hung on, but against Newcastle the performance football-wise was good and hopefully that will kick-start us for next season to come back with a bit of confidence.

“We weren’t particularly troubled in the second half. I think they threw everything at us. They tried, but I think we were on form.

“People thought we were going to throw it away, but we wanted to get that fifth place and we won the game.

“Unfortunately Everton went and won their game anyway, but we finished with two points more than last season and that’s progression so hopefully next year we’ll push on again.’’