Mellberg says thank you with commemorative shirts

New Juventus defender Olof Mellberg bought each Aston Villa fan a commemorative t-shirt, as a token of thanks for the support they have shown him over his Villa career.

The Swede said farewell to the Birmingham club during their final-day draw away to West Ham United. The 3,200 travelling fans each got a surprise as they entered the Upton Park turnstiles - a t-shirt bought and signed by Mellberg himself. It is understood that Mellberg shelled out over £50,000 of his own money to thank the fans.

Mellberg told the Birmingham Post, “It was my own idea to give the supporters the shirts. It was an unusual situation for me because I knew so far in advance that I was leaving at the end of the season. During the last few months so many fans have asked me for a signed shirt and so I thought it would be a good idea.”

Although many fans will want to keep hold of their special goodbye t-shirts, Aston Villa fans who were not lucky enough to go to the game, and want a Mellberg T-shirt, may very well be searching e-Bay over the coming weeks.