Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Wednesday May 2 2007
Time: 4:09PM
UK time is: 16:47:48
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Villa Offer Mark Delaney Life Line
Great, this makes sense as the club have announced they will offer Wales international defender Mark Delaney the chance to prove he can retain his fitness by giving him a short term deal.
The Villa right-back (31 next week) has had a season long battle with a knee injury and underwent surgery in by the same surgeon, Richard Steadman, who saved Martin Laursen's career in American.
Martin O'Neill explained: 'He has had the go-ahead to do some training now. He has been given optimistic signs and that has been encouraging. Mark is remaining very optimistic. His contract ends in June and I don't think we would really want to be leaving him in a situation where he has to go and rehabilitate on his own. I don't think that that is going to materialise.'
Adding, 'It is a long, hard slog for him now over the next few months. While all the other boys will be away on holiday, Mark will be in doing the work. Our physio Alan Smith has told me that if things stick to schedule then he might be back in full training come July 24 or 25. We know what Mark is like. He will work and will keep going.'
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Your Comments
still only 31, if he can remain fit, he could still be a big asset for us. Big IF but he seems to be a real fighter, so fingers crossed!
The Fear
could be a key player for you once again , but do you see him in the first XI honestly? or more of a back up which is what I would suspect
dazednconfuzed
I remember seeing games where Delaney played centre back and was outstanding. Hope he comes back fitter than ever.
industrial_musical
I agree fear, he is a good player IF he can stay fit.
jonah
Its good news, and not only for MD. I'm very pleased that the club have again shown faith in him, and obviously the ball is now in Mark's court. Good luck to him. It will be a long hard slog back to full fitness, with no guarantee that a first team place will be waiting for him at the end, but there's no doubting that on his day, when fully fit and firing, Mark Delaney would still have a lot to offer the club.
glensider
It's good to see the club lookng after him. Good luck Mark. Hope to see you back playing and in the first team next season.
Adam Deuce
All he needs is a good spell without Injury in order to get to the peak of fitness required to be a Premiership player. Good Luck with the Summer slog on the training ground, nice to see the club supporting him (or any player for that matter) when their careers are in the balance. Lets face it there is no sentiment in football these days, that said its nice to Villa have not become a slave to the financial masters of the game.
col8
This also will go some way to showing the players that if they remain loyal to us, then we will remain loyal to them. A good message to send I think as we start to scour the world for top talent! Think under the old regime MD would probably have been shown the door quicker than you can say "Badge Blows".
YatesyVillain
One of the best right backs in the business when fit! (not a bad centre back either), he loves the club, and the club has spent a lot of money 'fixing' him so it makes sense to give him a chance. Maybe extend his contract by 6 months and see how he gets on.
DeanoVilla
with the new facilities at bodymoor we should have a much fitter team than anyone, injuries will be short lived from now on. mark is a quality player and should be given a chance. not like some other full backs who go to moan to the paper, or MTV when there not doing it!
bobbyfett
I would happily go into the new season with Luke Young and Mark Delaney as our two rightbacks.
voiceoftheholte
Delaney's column in the Express and Star is quality.
industrial_musical
Have to agree with voth. The prospect of Luke Young and a fully fit Mark fighting it out for the right full back berth is an exciting prospect to savour.
glensider
Hope he gets fit. As good as signing a new player, when he comes back. Because of his injury record, he should be reserve right back. But only if we can get a younger better player in that position.
morky13villa
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