ASTON Villa, who have been keeping a close watch on the form of Dundee
United and Scotland midfield man Billy McKinlay, will make a final
assessment of the player this weekend and will almost certainly then
meet the asking price of #1.5m.
Villa manager Brian Little, the man who succeeded Ron Atkinson, will
travel to Tynecastle on Sunday to watch 25-year-old McKinlay against
Hearts in the televised Tennents Scottish Cup quarter-final tie. This
follows frequent checks by other members of the Villa staff, who have
gone back south with glowing reports.
The original intention was to have McKinlay checked out in last
night's premier division match against Partick Thistle at Firhill, but
that mission was aborted early in the day when Little was told McKinlay
had no chance of playing, because of a calf-muscle problem.
Now the Villa Park manager will make the final decision when United
bid to keep a grip on the Scottish Cup they won for the first time last
May.
McKinlay would not take much persuading to make the south to one of
England's major Premiership outfits.
He has made it clear he wants to be playing his football away from
Tannadice and is pursuing a court action against United over the option
clause on his contract.
Villa, of course, could have opposition in the chase for the Scotland
star. Leicester City, struggling to stay in the Premiership, were hugely
interested until learning the asking price, but Newcastle United have
sent assistant manager Terry McDermott north twice to watch McKinlay.
They certainly have the money, as do Kenny Dalglish's Blackburn
Rovers, who can never be ruled out of any chase for a quality player.
* TWO Barbadians fly in today to join Meadowbank. Keeper Horace Stout
and midfielder David Alleyne have now been granted work permits to join
the club after a trial period at the end of last year.
But manager Mike Lawson said last night: ''They were both over here in
December and showed that they can take the cold, but I had better give
them a chance to get used to it.''
They will watch tonight as Meadowbank meet Stirling Albion. Graham
Davidson will have a late fitness test for Meadowbank while Stirling
will be without suspended defender Ronnie McQuilter.
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