Grant Holt happy to sit it out - if Aston Villa are winning
Grant Holt says "the big 10" are upon Villa - and he won't complain if he has to sit them out.
Paul Lambert's surprise January recruit says it would defy logic for the Villa boss to pick him ahead of the main front-three strikers Christian Benteke, Gabby Agbonlahor and Andi Weimann.
But the 32-year-old is more than happy with his fringe role as the team prepares for the final 10 games which will define their campaign.
"This is the big 10 games, as they call it," admits Holt, who will again be a support figure when the sequence begins at home to Chelsea on Saturday evening.
"And when you've got the forwards we've got you know when you first come here that you're not just going to get straight into the side.
"I think when I was signed it was more to help the lads along and give them that depth that we didn't have.
"Obviously they had lost the big man, Libor Kozak, on the training ground which left a gap for myself.
"I just want to try to help the lads and give them that wisdom and experience. Obviously, I want to play football and I want to play games.
"But when you've got the likes of Christian and Gabby and Andi there it's tough to get in. I'll bide my time and I'll get my chance. As long as the team's winning and they're performing then I'll gladly sit there and enjoy it.
"With the performance levels they're at at the moment it would be a bit harsh on some of the boys. I think they've been performing really well."
Holt's loan recruitment, following a move to Wigan which had gone flat, did not go down well with Villa fans but the popular striker has made himself a welcome figure within Lambert's squad.
And he is ready to provide support in the crunch phase of the campaign.
"You get to a point in a season where everyone knows that this is the run of games that makes or breaks your season at the top, middle or bottom of the table.
"Villa went on a great run last year and that made the difference, and it's the same this season. "Everybody between 11th and 20th needs points to get them moving in the right direction away from the bottom."
