You snake! Angry Aston Villa fans fire parting shot at Fabian Delph as he leaves to join Manchester City

Supporters pin banner to stadium gates after captain makes dramatic u-turn to exit club

Fabian Delph was the subject of much ire from Aston Villa fans after he left the club to join Manchester City (PA)

Furious Aston Villa supporters have taken to the streets – and social media – to express their anger towards former captain Fabian Delph for leaving the club in controversial circumstances.

The England international joined Manchester City on Friday for £8m, less than a week after rejecting a move to the Etihad Stadium in order to supposedly stay with Tim Sherwood’s team.

The fallout among the football world was immense, and within hours of the transfer’s completion, a banner had been pinned to the gates of Villa Park bearing the words ‘Delph You Snake!’

Speaking last weekend, Delph had reiterated his loyalty to the West Midlands club: “I’m aware there has been intense media speculation surrounding my future in the last 24 hours and I want to set the record straight.

“I’m not leaving. I’m staying at the football club and I can’t wait for the start of the season and captaining this great football club.”

The former Leeds United midfielder had signed a new four-and-a-half year contract to much fanfare before January’s FA Cup tie with Bournemouth, but now follows in the footsteps of Gareth Barry and James Milner before him in leaving Villa for City.

It will be another four months before fans have the opportunity to directly confront Delph when he returns to Villa Park with his new club in the Premier League. In the meantime, they have been making their voices heard on Twitter.