Aston Villa still paying for 35-year-old transfer by sending SEATS to National League club’s stadium

ASTON VILLA have continued to pay for a transfer in 1991 – by giving away seats. 35 years on from Neil Cox’s move from Scunthorpe to the Midlands, a second deal between the clubs has been completed. Scunthorpe have got more seats for their stadium from Aston Villa Credit: Getty It comes 35 years after a transfer was partially paid for in the same way Credit: Getty Initially, Villa paid £400,000 for the defender – plus 2,000 claret and blue seats to their fellow colour matchers. Now, with Villa turfing up their famous North Stand this summer ahead of a major rebuild, thousands more were set to go to waste. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! But Scunthorpe liaison officer Julie Taylor found out about the rebuild and snapped at the chance to get some freebies for Glanford Park. She told BBC Radio West Midlands: “We weren’t actually owed any! I was a bit cheeky and just asking if we could have some more. “It wasn’t that we were actually owed any more, I just thought we could do with them. “[Ours] are broken. They’re brittle after all these years. They break, fans break them. “We could do with some more. We’re pretty desperate so there’s no harm in me asking.” The 9,000- capacity ground in North Lincolnshire has now had a makeover after Taylor’s quick thinking. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Thousands of claret and blue seats have been ripped out of Villa Park ahead of a rebuild Credit: X / Dean85688939403 She explained: “They [Villa] said they were just going to destroy them. I was a bit shocked when they said yes. “I borrowed our van and went to pick them up. I just crammed it with as many as I could get in. “I came with a friend. It’s a two-and-a-half hour journey. We drove onto the pitch. “One of the contractors met me there because it was a Sunday, which was better because it was quiet. “We picked up all the seats, rammed them in the van and it took quite a while because I had to dismantle a few of them. “Then we drove back to Scunthorpe again.” And the seats in question – which Villa will be replacing as they increase up to 50k – are instantly recognisable. Taylor and Co have arranged for their collection of around 200 blue seats to spell out SUFC in the National League away end. And the Irons have some spare for any excited travelling supporters as well. Taylor went on: “I would have gone back but they’ve gotten rid of them now. “He [the contractor] did ring me back and ask if I wanted to come again. “It was the time factor and I couldn’t get there. But never mind. “Maybe in another 20 or 30 years somebody else can go.” And Cox, 54, who started this nearly four decades ago by making the switch, has been to see them as well. Taylor revealed: “Oh yes, he came down to the ground last week to look at them. “We had a bit of a chat and he was amazed that this saga is continuing after all these years.” He went on to play over 50 times for Villa before being sold to Middlesbrough in 1994. Cox also featured for Bolton, Watford, and Cardiff as he worked his way down the EFL. In 2020 he returned to manage Scunny and played more than 350 times in the Prem and old First Division. Comment now