Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph: We understand the fans' frustration... it's been a tough season



It has been an ugly few weeks for Aston Villa. Four consecutive defeats sucked the club back into a relegation scrap and enraged supporters are beginning to call for Paul Lambert's head.

Totemic striker Christian Benteke suffered a ruptured achilles tendon in training and was ruled out for the season and the World Cup with Belgium.

Amid allegations of bullying, the manager's assistants Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa were suspended on Lambert's authority pending an internal investigation.



And owner Randy Lerner refused to quash speculation he was ready to sell up in the summer should an acceptable bid be placed.

Purple patch: Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph has had a good season

To quote one member of Aston Villa Supporters' Trust: 'It has felt like a soap opera without a script.'

Fabian Delph admits the fans have every right to voice their disapproval. 'You can understand the frustration,' he says. 'Nobody is more frustrated than the gaffer himself most likely. The fans have been great all season, they are entitled to have a moan. If I was in the stand seeing Delphy give it away every two minutes I'd probably have a go. I'd be screaming, "Delph, what you doing?" But they've stuck with us.'

Despite this self-flagellation, Delph is set to be named Villa's player of the year. The 24-year-old is a senior member of the squad having signed for £8million from Leeds United in 2009 and is finally beginning to fulfil his potential after fully recovering from a serious knee injury.

Villa travel to Swansea on Saturday, and a win will all but guarantee their Barclays Premier League status.



All together now: Delph with team-mate Antonio Luna during training

'We are confident going into the game we can get three points and put it to bed,' says Delph. 'But it is very tight.' In the midst of the upheaval, Delph says that training has been improved. Lambert has taken an increased role, while Gordon Cowans, winner of the 1982 European Cup, and Shay Given have been promoted.

'The gaffer takes the sessions, he's been great. I've known Gordon since I arrived,' says Delph. 'He's obviously a club legend and it's nice to look over and see someone of his calibre. Shay is still as daft as he was before he got the management role, but he has a serious side to him as well.'

The major issue, according to Lambert, is the 'parameters' placed on transfer dealings. Loan targets such as Romelu Lukaku, Lewis Holtby and Joleon Lescott have been priced out on wages.

Delph is the last outfield player signed by Martin O'Neill still at the club. Villa swooped ahead of Tottenham, Manchester City and Everton five years ago when ambitions were bolder. Delph's debut in August 2009 was alongside James Milner, Ashley Young and Stiliyan Petrov - bought for a combined £28m. Stewart Downing arrived that summer for £10m.

Hands on: A relaxed Paul Lambert takes charge of training on Thursday

Since then Lerner, who invested £200m of his own money in search of Champions League qualification, has required managers to work on a tighter budget after substantial losses. Delph's likely midfield partners will be Karim El Ahmadi and Ashley Westwood, signed by Lambert for a total of around £4m.

Delph believes patience is needed for the squad's younger players to establish themselves. 'I signed for a top-six club challenging for top four,' he says. 'The structure is still in place but for whatever reason we've not managed to reach the targets that were there when I first came.

'There were a lot of international players: John Carew for Norway, Brad Friedel for America, Richard Dunne for Ireland, James Collins for Wales. Stan (Petrov) had something like five million caps for Bulgaria.

Frustration: Delph admits the Villa fans have every right to voice their disapproval

'We've brought players in who are young, hungry and talented. It's just a matter of time before it starts to click.' It has already started to click for Delph, who this season scored his first Premier League goal with a thunderous drive in victory at Southampton. Such a sight looked doubtful when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in April 2010 and was out for 10 months.

During that time he constantly questioned those treating him to the point where he is now called Dr Delph by team-mates. Benteke, out for up to eight months, has been his latest patient.

'I like to know what's wrong with me. I don't just want to sit on the couch like a potato,' Delph says. 'I've spoken to Christian a few times about what it takes and basically encouraging him.'

Doubt: Owner Randy Lerner has refused to quash speculation he was ready to sell up in the summer

Delph is used to long journeys back. He grew up in a council estate with little money and would make a six-hour round trip to training at Leeds. Single mum Donna raised him and remains his inspiration.

'We never had a car so we would get three buses and a train,' he says. 'My mum's a massive influence, a great lady, a hard woman. She wouldn't let me come with any excuses.

'If I'd had a bad performance and tried to say it was because of this or that she'd squash that straight away. When I signed for Villa I bought her a house.

'You never forget where you come from. I wouldn't change anything from when I was a young lad. You learn a few things when you're that age - to strive for better.'