Wolves boss Paul Lambert blasts former Villa owner Randy Lerner

Lambert spent a frustrating two-and-a-half seasons at Villa Park working on a heavily restricted budget before being axed in February 2015.

After his replacement, Tim Sherwood, kept the club in the top flight, Lerner then sanctioned a disastrous £50million spending spree which played a large part in Villa's Premier League exit last season.

And speaking during his unveiling at Molineux yesterday, Lambert aimed a thinly veiled dig at his former employer.

"I certainly wouldn't do that again," he said. "I certainly wouldn't protect people the way I did protect them. Then the club spent money after I left and ended up getting relegated.

"It just shows you I didn't do too bad a job there when you look at it."

When asked to expand on his comments, Lambert replied: "Everybody knows the situation. I would not have gone into a press conference every Thursday or Friday and spoken the same drivel I did for a couple of years. I certainly won't put it all on my own shoulders again."

Lambert's experience at Villa Park meant the Scot's contract at Blackburn, his next club, included a clause which allowed him to leave after just six months. But he has insisted on no such stipulation in his deal at Wolves.

"There is a different feeling here," he said. "There are people who want to drive the club on."