Football Season Review

In the end, promotion back to the Premier League was too much for Aston Villa who will now be in the Championship for a third straight season. After a difficult start, Steve Bruce really got the best out of his side and they had a nailed on play-off spot for some time. John Terry proved to be an inspired signing and he formed a brilliant central defensive partnership with James Chester. But injuries to key players such as Jonathan Kodjia who missed much of the campaign and Jack Grealish, who was out for the opening few months with a freak kidney issue, meant that automatic promotion was beyond them. Bruce, with far less money than predecessors, used the loan market well with keeper Sam Johnstone, winger Robert Snodgrass and for the second half of the season striker Lewis Grabban, all impressing. Yet on the biggest of stages, the Wembley play-off final against Fulham, Villa lacked that ability to win the match. It was a disappointing performance and they did not have much composure in front of goal. Bruce has said he wants to stay at the club but it is bound to be tougher. They will have even less money and their chances of bringing in any of their loan players on a permanent basis seems to have gone. Terry is also set to leave while they will do well to hang on to Grealish.

Player of the Season: John Terry