Aston Villa manager John Gregory has apologised to club chairman Doug Ellis after his outspoken verbal attack in which he accused him of "being in a time warp." Gregory has said sorry for his blistering outburst in a Sunday newspaper after a three-hour meeting with Ellis in the Villa boardroom yesterday afternoon.

Ellis had also been described as "acting small" by Gregory and he responded by issuing a statement in which he said he was "furious" about the remarks and demanded a showdown to thrash matters out.

Gregory declined the opportunity to apologise at his press conference on Thursday when he issued a "no comment" response to any questions about his attack on Ellis. But he emerged from the meeting with the man known as `Deadly' Doug - because of his reputation for firing managers - to apologise via his solicitor in a club statement.

The statement read: "I wish to publicly apologise to the chairman Mr Ellis if he felt my recently reported remarks were no more than a personal attack on him.

"My remarks were borne out of my frustration which would have been better discussed in private than aired publicly.

"I wish to apologise to Doug personally for some of the remarks that I made.

"I am still totally committed to Aston Villa FC and myself and the board will be working a lot closer together in the future to achieve the success the supporters expect of this club," the statement concluded.

Meanwhile Darren Huckerby is determined to make up for lost time and help Manchester City maintain their place in the Premiership. The 24-year-old striker has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal and goes straight into the squad for today's game against Charlton.

City have paid Leeds an initial £2.5million with more to follow depending on appearances. Huckerby is delighted to make the switch over the Pennines after starting just 14 games in the past 16 months. He was a substitute on 42 occasions.

"I remain confident in my own ability but it is time I started playing again," he said yesterday. "It's no good sitting in the stand.

"I only found out at 5.30 last night that something was on and I was down at Maine Road at nine this morning.

"It was all sorted out very quickly. City are a big club and Joe Royle is a man I admire.

"I am just looking forward to getting involved with the squad against Charlton."

Harry Redknapp has revealed that West Ham are considering a £3.5million bid for Steve Lomas from Manchester City. Maine Road boss Joe Royle is keen to take Lomas back to City, the club he left to join the Hammers in a £2.2m deal three years ago.

But Redknapp is putting any potential deal on hold until the busy festive fixture programme is out of the way.

"Manchester City are very interested in signing Steve, but I am not keen to lose him," said Redknapp. "He is my captain and he has done very well for me since I bought him.

Former Chelsea coach Gianluca Vialli said yesterday he hoped to return to management with a top club in England or Italy.

Vialli, Chelsea's most successful coach who won five trophies in a two and a half year spell at the west London club, said he had been wounded by his abrupt dismissal in September but he expected to be back in work next season.

"I will get my English coaching badge in June," the former Italian international striker said.

"Then I will do something in Italy or England. It depends on the seriousness of the offers I receive.

"After 20 years at the top level, I feel it is where I belong. I think certain coaches are made to be in charge of big clubs and I hope to be one of them."

Allen Nielsen scored the only goal after 56 minutes as Watford beat Barnsley 1-0 in a Division One match at Oakwell last night.