Aston Villa: Sidwell understands subbed Reo-Coker’s anger in derby clash

Sep 16 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

“He got subbed and whether that was tactical or what, he was still disappointed and you can understand why.

“It could have been anyone of us, it could have been me, no one really stood out for us.

‘‘He was just unlucky.”

Sidwell and Reo-Coker have formed an impressive midfield trio along with captain Stiliyan Petrov during Villa’s three Premier League wins.

The Cockney middle-men have been close friends since their school-days when they were members of rival youth teams in South London. And Sidwell revealed that Reo-Coker’s grumpy demeanour only replaces his upbeat personality occasionally when his will to win gets the better of him.

“We’ve grown up around each other back in London so we know each other well,” said Sidwell.

“We grew up in the same borough and we used to play against each other as kids, then he went to Wimbledon and I was at Arsenal.

‘‘He’s a cracking lad, he can be a bubbly character and he’s great to have around in the dressing room.

“He can be very miserable at times, as people will have seen in and around the place, or even on TV, but the lads still love him.

“He’s very much part of that vibe we have here of young and hungry players.”