One of the hardest things to deal with in football is disappointment, and unfortunately, as fans, we all have a tendency to get our hopes up – meaning that thing can oh so easily come crashing back down to Earth at any moment. In a way, that’s what happened at the end of last season when Aston Villa’s ‘Road to Redemption’ of sorts came to a bitter end as they were defeated by Fulham in the Championship Playoff Final at Wembley Stadium.

It was a result that many fans had seen coming courtesy of the Cottagers’ overwhelming talent throughout the core of their squad, but for Villa fans, it wasn’t something they were willing to prepare for. The nature of the financial reward behind the playoff final means that a win or a loss can completely alter the trajectory of any given football club, and that’s been the case with the Midlands side.

There have been more exits than arrivals thus far as they attempt to rebuild themselves as promotion contenders once again, but we all know it isn’t going to be that easy. With an uncertain owner coupled together with a manager, Steve Bruce, who could leave at any given moment, many fans are worried that they won’t even be able to avoid dropping down into the third tier – which is something that plenty of big clubs have experienced in years gone by.

Their local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers are a shining example of how being relegated into League One can eventually end up working out for the best, but that’s not something these Villa supporters are going to be willing to entertain. They’ve got lofty ambitions and we can understand that, but instead of putting their hopes and dreams into another promotion campaign, perhaps solidifying themselves as a mid-table side could be the way forward.

The good news for the club is that they’ve got a fairly favourable start to their Championship campaign (which begins next week), but on the flip side of that, a handful of bad results could lead to some serious questions being asked. Everyone is so focused on what’s going on off the pitch which is completely understandable, when in reality, all that’s going to matter is whether or not they can produce the goods over the course of 46 games – at least to the point where they’re able to put up a decent fight.

The rumours of Thierry Henry coming through the door as the new manager proved to be false after he was reportedly snubbed, and perhaps that’s the best thing for everyone involved. Villa need a stable manager who understands how to get out of this league, and while it may not end up being Steve Bruce who leads them through the entirety of the season, you aren’t likely to find too many better options out there in terms of experience alone.

Of course, that isn’t the only factor to be considered, and it’ll be very interesting to see how the next few weeks develop for what was once considered to be one of the biggest clubs in English football.

Aston Villa To Get Relegated At 10.00

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