John Gregory has denied reports that he has fallen out with chairman Doug Ellis, despite newspaper reports that ``Deadly Doug'' has signed players behind Gregory's back.

Gregory denied rumours that Ellis had bought two players from Peterborough United without his consent and insisted the two were ``united'' in their strive for success at Villa Park. Gregory said: ``There is no confrontation between myself and the chairman.

Just as there is no interest from myself or the chairman in any Peterborough players. ``We do not agree on everything we say to each other, but that is how it should be in a company of this magnitude. ``We are absolutely united to the cause of seeing Villa reach the limit of their potential and I am not going to let people drive a wedge between us.

``I've had 30 years of it as a professional in football and it's water off a duck's back to me. ``But people are having a go at the chairman as well as me and they should lay off him because he doesn't pick the team,'' Gregory told Aston Villa's official web site.