Former Coventry City midfielder Kevin MacDonald, who is the Aston Villa U23's coach has been re-assigned from his role after national newspaper reports of bullying.
McDonald has been accused in a report in The Guardian of leaving former youth team Gareth Farrelly - despondant and suicidal after their dealings in the mid 1990s.
Villa have confirmed that MacDonald, will not be managing the U23's and will work behind the scenes as the investigation gets underway and said in a press statement: "Aston Villa was contacted yesterday by a national newspaper with allegations of bullying against Kevin MacDonald made by a former player from the 1990s.
“The club referred these allegations immediately to its local authority and the football authorities and with their agreement has commissioned an independent investigation into the former player’s complaints.
“That investigation will commence immediately and as a neutral act Kevin has been temporarily reassigned to non-player facing duties pending completion of the investigation.”