Sullivan issues club statement

Last updated : 06 March 2003 By Brian Cartlidge
Sullivan told the club's official website, www.bcfc.com: "The club has drawn a line under the Villa game and the problems that occurred both on and off the pitch.

As far as Birmingham City are concerned these are Villa's problem, but we hope very much that they can resolve them.

I would like to pay a special tribute to the Blues supporters whose behaviour inside the ground, despite provocation, remained extremely sportsmanlike.

As far as I am concerned the game is now in the past and we have got the three points which are vital to us in helping maintain our Premiership status.

There are now nine games to go and each and every one of them will be like a cup final for us, starting with the away game at Man City, a week on Sunday.

All the energies of the club, the manager and the players are now focused on this match.

I also wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our player Robbie Savage, who I feel has been unfairly vilified by the press over the past few days.

Robbie is an impeccable professional who has never been sent off in his career and I was extremely proud of his attitude on the pitch last Monday night.

Despite a ferocious challenge he did not roll around on the floor like many other players may have done.

He was injured after a totally unprovoked head butt but continued to maintain a professional attitude and did not retaliate.

He handled this game as a professional in both the committed performance he gave and the attitude he showed to his own team, the opposing players and the referee.

As I have already stated, a line has been drawn under Monday night's game and our minds are now focused on winning the next nine games."

Source: www.bcfc.com