Alex McLeish on the brink of Villa sack

Alex McLeish today stood on the brink of being sacked as Villa manager despite a defiant response to questions over his future at the end of a traumatic season.

The Scot will sit down with Villa owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner to dissect the campaign after the claret and blues finished with a lacklustre 2-0 defeat at Norwich.

McLeish was once again subjected to vitriolic abuse from the Villa supporters and it's understood that, while the former Birmingham boss will be given the chance to plead his case to Lerner, it's thought unlikely he will be given a second season.

He said: "You can't start fearing for your job at any time.That would be really negative. I'll be going into the meeting as positive as possible.

"I'm not a quitter. I've been determined all my life.

"I've been quite successful in my career but, for three minutes last season and one goal, I would have been probably the greatest manager in Birmingham's history, that's how fine a line it is.

"It's not easy. Of course it's not and it's not nice. But I'm the guy who is responsible for results and performances and, when the crowd see performances like that, then I'm going to get hammered.

"I accept that happens to any manager. I've got to try to get a team on that pitch in that jersey with a winning mentality and then I can change the fans' opinion."

When asked if he had spoken to Faulkner and Lerner in advance of the meeting McLeish admitted he had sent "just text messages and e-mails" and that he "never detected anything negative at all."

McLeish insisted he would be prepared to put himself through everything all over again even though he admitted the season had been his toughest in management.

He said: "It's been a hell of a challenge for me as a manager and I've done my utmost and my best, trying to think left field at times, when we needed results.

"I have leaned on some experienced people that I'm close too at times and, in the end, we got over the line, so you have to say that it was a big test for me as a manager.

"People will not see it as a glorious season by any manner or means or a glorious performance by me.

"But I've had to pull out all the stops because it's as tough as it's ever been."