By Graham Hill
JOHN McGinn insists his move to Aston Villa could not have gone better – but his only problem is that he says people in Birmingham cannot understand him.
McGinn was signed by ex-boss Steve Bruce in a knockdown £2.8million deal from Hibernian last summer.
And while things have not gone his way in a Scotland shirt recently, his club form has helped Villa back into the Championship play-off race.
But he admits his accent means he has some difficulties when he is out and about in the city.
McGinn smiled: “Initially down here, it can be tough.
“Especially when you’re going into shops and they don’t understand you.
“My accent is quite strong.
“Even ordering a coffee can be quite difficult.
“I’ll ask for something like a Cappuccino and they’ll just go: ‘What? Sorry?’
“In the Villa team, Birkir Bjarnason and Anwar El Ghazi have no idea what I’m saying.
“I need to slow down a bit.
“But I can’t develop an English accent, I’ll get too much stick back at home for that.”
Glasgow-born McGinn, 24, admits moving south of the border is different from his previous experience of living away from home.
He added: “I lived away before in Edinburgh for three years, but I used to take a black bag full of washing home to my mum!
“Now my girlfriend’s moved down here, so that’s helped because the rest of the lads here go home to their families.”
Villa Roar 