The Fixtures!

We kick off our campaign in the Championship away at Sheffield Wednesday. Hooray! The bad news is, the game will be at 4.30pm on Sunday 7th August to suit the needs of Sky telly. Boo!

Our first home game is on Saturday 13th August against Rotherham and the Yorkshire themed opening to the season continues three days later when Huddersfield Town rock up at Villa Park.

The all important derby games against the Blues are at St Andrews on 29th October and Villa Park on 22nd April. That Villa Park clash could prove pivotal if we are in the running for either automatic promotion or a play-off spot.

Wolves visit on 16th October and we head for Molineux on 14th January.

We've got a Villa Park double header at Christmas with Burton Albion on Boxing Day and dirty Leeds on New Years Eve.

Our last away trip of the campaign will be up at Blackburn Rovers and we see out the season with a home clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.

All fixtures are likely to be pissed about with by Sky Sports.

Tommy Elphick confirmed as our first signing of the summer

Tommy Elphick has signed for Aston Villa, joining us from Bournemouth.

Centre-half Elphick, 28, has signed a three-year deal at Villa Park for an undisclosed fee understood to be in excess of £3million.

Elphick made 145 appearances across four seasons for Bournemouth, scoring six goals.

Bournemouth chief exec Neill Blake said: “I would like to place on record my thanks, and that of everyone connected with AFC Bournemouth, to Tommy Elphick for his service to this football club over the past four years.

“He has been a model professional throughout his time here and will now leave behind the legacy of being this football club’s most successful captain.

“It is always difficult to say goodbye to people who have played such a huge part in our success, but we now wish him all the best in his next challenge at Aston Villa."

Elphick "understood to have cut short honeymoon" to sign for Villa

Elphick on his bike

Looks like Bournemouth's Tommy Elphick will be on his bike to join the Villa very shortly.

Bournemouth's Daily Echo report that Elphick is understood to have cut short his Itlaian honeymoon to undergo a Villa medical.

The 28-year-old defender missed much of last season with injury but he has proved himself in the Championship and will prove to be both a defensive asset and a leader on the pitch.

His signing will call into question the future of the defenders that helped get Villa relegated such as Richards, Lescott, Okore and Clark and of Nathan Baker who spent last season on loan at Bristol City.

Steve Hollis on his bike

Hollis

Steve Hollis is no longer Aston Villa's executive chairman ahead of new owner Tony Xia’s boardroom reshuffle.


The troubleshooter was brought in by former owner Randy Lerner in January and was pivotal in negotiating the sale of the club to Xia.

His departure from Villa Park was expected following the completion of the takeover earlier this week, with Xia planning to appoint a new board, though that is still subject to Football League approval, which has been delayed.

Hollis announced he was "not a football man" after replacing Lerner as the club's chairman and his tenure saw Villa lose their place in the Premier league, after doing fuck all in the January transfer window.

Wyness

Hollis oversaw the departures of chief executive Tom Fox and sporting director Hendrik Almstadt, and swung the axe at the club's staff axing around 500 full, part time and matchday staff.

Incoming chief executive Keith Wyness now takes the reins.

Wyness said: "Steve has been great, he did a very necessary job. He’s the first to admit he’s not a football man, but he’s done a very good job corporate restructuring.

“He’s been a pleasure to deal with and very professional.”

Xia is here at last

After a protracted process. Tony Xia's takeover of Aston Villa has at last been confirmed.

We await official news of the make up of the new board.

CONFIRMED: Roberto Di Matteo is the new manager of Aston Villa

Aston Villa has confirmed the appointment of Roberto Di Matteo as new manager.


Roberto said: "It's a wonderful honour for me to become manager of this great football club and I'm looking forward to the challenge of taking Aston Villa back to its rightful place."

It's Di Matteo!

Roberto Di Matteo, the former Chelsea player who broke Villa hearts in the 2000 FA Cup Final is set to be confirmed as the new manager of Aston Villa on Friday, according to reports.

Steve Clarke is expected to join as assistant. Clarke was regarded as great number two in his spells at Chelsea and Liverpool under José Mourinho and Kenny Dalglish .

Di Matteo gets a two-year contract apparently.

The Italian, who steered Chelsea to Champions League victory in 2012, has been looking for a role since getting the Spanish Archer from Schalke at the end of last season. Clarke was sacked by Reading in December and both men have managed West Bromwich Albion.

Villa also held talks with the new Derby County manager Nigel Pearson, but rumours persisted that Di Matteo was always owner-in-waiting Doctor Tony's first choice.

Di Matteo has form in the Championship, guiding West Bromwich Albion to promotion.

Pre-season friendlies announced

"FIRST TEAM" GAMES

Villa face Premier League opposition
 in the firm of Middlesbrough

Saturday July 16 
 v AFC Telford (A) - 12pm
AND 
 v Worcester City (At Walshes Meadow, Stourport) - 3pm

Wednesday July 20 
 v Bristol Rovers (A) - 7.45pm

Saturday July 23
 v FC Nantes (At Stade Leo Lagrange, Saint Nazaire)

Tuesday July 26 
v Cambridge United (A) - 7.30pm

Saturday July 30
v Middlesbrough (H) - 3pm  (£10 in, £5 concessions)




Under 21s

Thursday July 21 
Friendly v Heather St John's (A) - 7.30pm

Sunday July 24 
Friendly v Biggleswade (A) - 2pm

Wednesday July 27 
Friendly v Tamworth (A) - 7.30pm

Monday August 1
Friendly v Chasetown (A) - 7.30pm