GINOLA COMPLETES VILLA SWITCH
Gregory had missed his side's 2-0 victory over local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers to complete the deal that he has been chasing in recent weeks, and Ginola himself has said that he is delighted to have joined the Midlands club.
"I met with Villa manager John Gregory in a Birmingham hotel this afternoon and then with the club's chairman, Doug Ellis, and the talks resulted in my signing a 2 year contract," Ginola told the Official Villa website.
"I have to say that I feel as though a weight has finally been lifted off my shoulders, and I can now look forward to the season ahead.
Ginola did show some resentment to his former club, stating that their decision to sell him had left him completely shocked, and that he was disappointed with the way the deal was handled by the club.
"I had been in limbo at Tottenham since the middle of June, when the bombshell news dropped that Alan Sugar had accepted a £3 million bid for me from Villa."
"I am 33 and although I feel I have still got at least two years left in me, playing at the highest level, I felt I should have been rewarded for my time at Spurs with a free transfer.
"That would have given me far more freedom in choosing which club to join."
The Frenchman was quick to hit out at reports in the press saying that his greed was what had delayed his move away from White Hart Lane.
"As for demanding his and hers Mercedes and a six bedroom mansion, I can confirm that there is absolutely no truth in any of those ridiculous statements," he added. "All I did was to try and get a decent wage, again wildly exaggerated in the press, for having to leave Tottenham and uprooting to the Midlands.
"People have to appreciate that I did not anticipate any of this, having signed a 3 year contract with Tottenham only 12 months ago."
Ginola, who joined Spurs for £2 million from Newcastle United in 1997, also said that he was very much looking forward to working with Gregory at Villa, and that he is relishing the start of the new season, and the chance to prove that he still has what it takes to compete in England's top flight.
"I want to look ahead positively to the future. John Gregory has made me feel very wanted, and I am sure I can repay his faith in me. I have turned down several offers from abroad to come to Villa Park.
"John Gregory likes flair players - he appreciates them, and I am looking forward to showing the Villa fans just what I can do. It will be exciting playing in the same midfield as the likes of Paul Merson and Luc Nilis, supplying a service for Dion Dublin and Co.
"Yes, the new season promises to be an interesting one and now that my future is settled I shall give 100 per cent to my new career as a player for Aston Villa. "
