Big Ron linked to Yeltz role

Ron Atkinson was today linked with a shock return to football management as part of a big-money takeover at non-league Halesowen Town.

The former Aston Villa manager will be asked to be part of the management team at The Grove alongside former Kettering manager Morell Maison, sources insisted today.

But 68-year-old Atkinson today denied he is about to take an official role at the Southern League club, who sacked manager Martin O'Connor yesterday and appointed Maison as his successor ahead of a takeover in the next two weeks.

Atkinson was director of football at Kettering when Maison was first-team manager.

Halesowen Town has been up for sale since chairman Nigel Pitt announced his intention to stand down two months ago.

But the ex-Villa and Manchester United boss, who infamously lost his job as ITV's top football summariser because of a racist remark, insisted he had no knowledge of the takeover consortium.

Atkinson said: "It may well be I will turn up there in an informal capacity but that is all it would be."

Atkinson has been out of football since leaving Kettering in April after four months as director of football, a day after Maison.