Redundancies at Aston Villa as club prepares for life after relegation
ASTON VILLA has warned its staff that redundancies will be made as the club prepares to face life in football’s lower tier.
Confirmation of the club’s relegation from the Premier League is likely to be confirmed on Saturday when the team face Manchester United at Old Trafford, and while the stadium is dubbed the Theatre of Dreams it could turn into a nightmare day for Villa.
Realists at Villa Park have been preparing for the inevitable for some time and there have been a lot of off-field changes at the club, in particular in the boardroom where ex-KPMG regional director Steve Hollis and former Bank of England Governor Mervyn King have been brought in to try and mastermind the club’s return to the top flight as quickly as possible.
However, with revenues in the Championship much lower – even with the Premier League parachute payment – the club is acting now to cut its cloth according to its means.
It has pulled no punches although it has stopped short of specifying exactly how many of its 185 members of staff will be axed.
A club statement said: “Aston Villa Football Club can confirm it has updated all staff on the proposed changes to the club structure in order to put it back on a firm footing.
“These changes will result in a headcount reduction but every effort will be made through a voluntary scheme, to mitigate as much as is possible, the need for compulsory redundancies.
“The objective is to secure a sound financial platform from which the club can rebuild for the benefit of the fans, staff and sponsors.
“We recognise this is an extremely difficult time for all staff and the club will offer support to all staff affected.”
Administration staff are likely to feel aggrieved that they are paying the penalty for the club’s on-field failings.
However, the cull does not extend to the club’s playing staff – despite what fans might want.
Many supporters have laid the blame for the club’s dire season at the inadequacies of the players and management.
They are likely to console themselves by the fact many of the players could be offloaded come the end of the season as the club looks to trim the wage bill.
Perhaps ironically, and as if to underline the club’s trauma, the website is also promoting the club’s end of season merchandise sale as it looks to shift old stock.
A metaphor for the club’s annus horribilis if ever there was one.