Tubbs issues soothing statement

The 29-year-old was left seething after Villa postponed offering him new terms until just a few days before he would have become a free agent. However, Tubbs insists the Wales defender has a future at the club. "This is not an unusual way of doing things nowadays," he said, with the manner of a US army general justifying the decision to bomb a hospital. "We don't want Mark to go and if he proves himself he will be rewarded again with another deal." Tubbs had earlier insisted that a string of injuries to Delaney, who has played just 13 games this season, may have curtailed his chances of earning a longer deal and said he was disappointed by quotes from the player after the club exercised a clause in his contract.

"Mark's comments have been very disappointing. It's always disappointing when a player makes his comments through the media," he said. "This is a player and agent who signed this contract with the option three years ago so they can have no complaints when we take up the option. Take a great player like Dennis Bergkamp. He has been signing one-year extensions for years and there are no complaints from him."

Not the same Dutch striker that has signed just two 12-month extensions during his time at Highbury, and last season said of the delay: "I am a bit upset over how it is going. It seems that every season it has to be like this and it is a bit frustrating. I said in November that I wanted to stay and I haven't changed my mind. Somehow they always want to leave it until the last minute. Maybe they want to see what comes their way or what will happen if I change my mind."