PAUL MCGRATH has warmly welcomed Brian Little's granting of his transfer request after a turbulent week in the deteriorating relationship between the Republic of Ireland's most capped player and his Aston Villa manager. The player also said he would be prepared to drop down to the First Division if need be.

"I'm glad it's all out in the open now and I'm being allowed to leave," said McGrath last night, after forcing the issue for the last week and then handing in a written transfer request 48 hours ago.

"The only thing I want to do is to get an opportunity to play football. It's ironic that that's exactly what has landed me in trouble this time," McGrath observed whimsically, reflecting on some of his contrasting fall outs with managers in the past.

"Hopefully somebody will come in for me even at a price of £200,000 but, in fairness, I think Villa will accept less. Brian Little will take whatever he can get for me at this stage.

"I have no problems about dropping down a division but I would say to any Premier Division manager that I still feel I have a year at least left in me in the top league. I feel fitter now than I have done in years. If I was a manager I'd buy me," concluded McGrath, who has fought his case more eloquently and more assuredly than might have been the case in his more introspective past.

For his part, Little commented: "I've agreed to his transfer request. When people ask to leave, I've normally made sure that I've been able to move them on. In any case, in those circumstance it is also very difficult to think about picking them to play. I am open to offers for Paul, although, as yet, nobody has enquired."

Little denied reports that the 36 year old Irishman had been banned from the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground. Little said: "I have simply given Paul a couple of days off. That's all there is to it. I have not banned him from training. It's important he keeps himself fit for his sake, if nothing else."

McGrath is in his eighth season at Villa, having been bought by Graham Taylor from Manchester, United for £450,000. The news is again bound to alert one of McGrath's former managers at Villa, Ron Atkinson, whose struggling Coventry side lie one off the foot of the Premier Division. His Republic of Ireland team mate John Aldridge, player manager at First Division Tranmere Rovers, also likely to take an interest.