Guilbert: We Caen beat drop

FREDERIC GUILBERT broke down in tears when his last club lost its relegation fight – but is sure he won’t be needing his hanky at Aston Villa.

The 25-year-old defender wept when his former club Caen were demoted on the last day of the season.

It was hardly the sign-off the rightback wanted. It was his last match at a club where he had played – with one notable gap – since the age of 11.

Villa are among those at the foot of the Premier League table – but Guilbert (above) says he cannot see his new club suffering the same fate.

He said: “Losing with Caen was especially tough because I’m from Normandy and there’s a strong association between the region and Caen – it was heart-rending for me.

“And yes, I cried. I was very touched because my club had gone down and, despite the fact I tried, I hadn’t managed to keep them in the division.

“Coming to Villa, the scenario is a little similar but, with Caen, we were in the relegation zone for a good while.

“But this squad is much tighter and stronger, mentally, to resist that. I think we have all the ammunition we need to stay in the Premier League.”

Guilbert is lightning quick, but there were a few eyebrows raised when Villa – then in the Championship – spent £5million on a defender with a relegation-threatened club.

But battling back has been Guilbert’s stock-in-trade. He left home at the age of 11 to join Caen, but was released, finding his way to nearby Cherbourg.

A legend of the French game, Patrick Battiston, spotted him and he recommended the young defender to Bordeaux.

Guilbert said: “Patrick arranged for me to be recruited by Bordeaux, so he’s played an important part in my career.

“I made it into the first team at Bordeaux, but then there was a change of manager and he made different choices – and that didn’t include me.

“Caen admitted they had made a mistake, but I had a chance to play in Ligue 1 and that’s what I wanted.”

And so to Villa, who pressed ahead with the transfer, loaning him back to Caen – and final-day heartache.

Guilbert watched this season’s opening fixture against Spurs and said: “It was one of my first matches watching the Premier League and it was tough. The transition between defence and attack is much faster and intense – but I think the style suits me.”