By Emma Sanders

Dwight Yorke has hit out at Aston Villa for ignoring him and appointing Steve Bruce as their manager.

The former Villa striker was heavily critical of the club and expressed his concerns for their future after claiming they ignored his help.

Yorke made 284 appearances during nine years at the Midlands side before joining Manchester United in 1998 and was unimpressed that his advice was not taken on board.

The 44 year-old has completed his coaching badges and would have liked to have been given an opportunity to manage Aston Villa but the club opted to appoint Steve Bruce on Wednesday.

Yorke was a valuable squad member when Sunderland won the Championship title in 2007 and is convinced his experience of the second tier would have benefitted Villa.

“I’ve tried to get in there and one of the things I’d have brought to the table is the fact that I’ve played in that league and won the competition under Roy Keane as a player,” said Yorke, as quoted in the Mirror.

“The new owner, Tony Xia, seems lively but you need someone with passion who knows the club, who people can relate to and someone who can get the players running and playing as they should do.”

“I’m just miffed because everyone still thinks you need managerial experience. But we’re in the 21st century and players are getting out far more educated and far more wise but no-one wants to give you an opportunity.”

The former striker believes his experiences on the pitch could prove to be far more valuable than Bruce’s managerial exploits with Birmingham and Hull.

“From Steve Bruce’s perspective obviously he has that experience but if things go belly-up his years with Birmingham City will be challenged,” said Yorke in the Mirror.

“His record in the Championship is good but for me they need someone with new ideas and new aspirations who can drive the team forward and not that stagnant last five years.

“You get these managers who get umpteen chances then they are sacked and walk into another job. There are people who have taken all the badges but that opportunity is denied us.

“So they have gone with Steve Bruce again and that’s fine but things need to be different. The mentality of the club is really something to be questioned from top to bottom.

“We keep hearing ‘it’s a difficult league.’ It’s a joke and I’m disappointed with them.”

In other Aston Villa news, three senior members are axed as Bruce’s appointment continues to produce further changes at the club.