Joleon Lescott reveals Gareth Barry’s offer in brutal response to Stan Collymore
Aston Villa news - Joleon Lescott and Stan Collymore feuded throughout the club's shambolic 2015/16 season
by Alex Dicken, https://www.facebook.com/alexdickenjournalist/?fref=tsJoleon Lescott has finally addressed Stan Collymore’s brutal criticism of him during Aston Villa’s dire 2015/16 campaign.
Villa were relegated with a whimper in 2016 in Lescott’s only full season with the club he supported as a boy.
The defender, who is now 37, was lambasted by supporters for his performances in claret and blue, with Collymore his most vocal critic.
Lescott accidentally tweeted a picture of a Mercedes after Villa were thrashed 6-0 by Liverpool and once relegation was confirmed he admitted it was ‘a weight off their shoulders’.
His comments enraged Collymore and the former talkSPORT host attacked him on air.
"I would love Joleon, or any other Villa player, to call me up in all seriousness,” said Collymore. “I would like any Villa player - particularly Joleon Lescott - to come on and first explain the tweet [with the sports car after Liverpool defeat].
“But, today, this is a senior international footballer: 'Now confirmed, maybe it's a weight off the shoulders.'
"Why's it a weight off the shoulders, Joleon? It should hang on your shoulders in Dubai, in 'Marbz', with a gold bottle with the ace of spades on it in the summer when you and Gabby [Agboblahor] and Leandro [Bacuna] are all going to be laughing when your agents take you off to other football clubs.
"The Villa staff - it's a real weight on their shoulders. People who are getting made redundant, people who have been there for 20 years, who don't know where the next pay cheque might come from.
"You're a disgrace. You've hid behind players like [David] Silva and [Sergio] Aguero but when it mattered today with your hometown club - who you profess to support - you've helped them go down."
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Lescott and Collymore’s feud might have gone quiet, but there’s still plenty of bad blood between the pair.
Ex-England international Lescott has now given his version of events in an interview with The Beautiful Game Podcast, and he’s revealed a conversation he had with Villa favourite Gareth Barry.
“Stan, I won’t expose him, but he forgets he was at Villa when my brother was at Villa,” said Lescott. “My brother (Aaron) was an apprentice, so I know ridiculous stories about him.
“Gareth Barry, while it was going on, he reached out to me and said: ‘Do you want me to expose him?’
“For him to say that, that was enough. My reputation is enough with the people I’ve worked with, and the people I’ve played with, to know.
“Even the Villa team at the time - and I played my part in the relegation - but the people I’ve worked with in all the clubs wouldn’t have a negative thing to say about my professionalism.
“So him saying those things about me going to Dubai is strange. And what killed me was that when he was making it personal I messaged him.
“I said, ‘We’re both men, come down to the training ground and let’s sort this out’. He posted the message.
“I’ve scored as many goals for the national team as he has. He retired before the age I was at Aston Villa. For him to compare and say these things I’m like, ‘You weren’t even playing at this age so you don’t know what it’s like to be in this scenario at 33, 34’.
“What also frustrated me was that Stan had his issues with depression and mental health, how does he know that I never, or that players in the squad never?
“The way he was going at us I’m thinking, 'You could be affecting some players’ mental health'.
“But he had no consideration for that. You’re just willing to expose and say that for viewings or ratings and not care about an issue that played a part in you retiring. You’re not serious enough about the issue if you’re willing to do that.”