Aston Villa sack manager Dean Smith following poor start to 2021/22 season

Dean Smith was appointed as the manager of Aston Villa when they were a staple in the Championship and the Englishman was instrumental in orchestrating their comeback into the Premier League ahead of the 2019/20 season. The Villains then, somehow, managed to confirm their survival in the Premier League and it was termed as a magnificent achievement as Villa were four points deep inside the relegation zone with four games left.

The club then proceeded to back Smith but the loss of Jack Grealish this summer has clearly affected the club with them in 15th place after just 11 games. That includes a five game losing run and to make things even worse, the club have lost seven matches and won only thrice. It has seen the club confirm that they have parted ways with Dean Smith and the statement from club CEO Christian Purslow thanked the Englishman for his service and wished him the best.

“When Dean joined us in October 2018 our team was really struggling in The Championship. He immediately transformed the atmosphere and performances and achieved the ultimate success of leading Villa back to the Premier League within the same season - a rare feat. He then secured our place in the Premier League after a tough campaign and took us to a Cup Final at Wembley," Purslow told the club's website.

“However, after a good start to last season, this year we have not seen the continuous improvement in results, performances and league position which we have all been looking for. For this reason we have decided to make a change now to allow time for a new head coach to make an impact.

“The Board would like to sincerely thank Dean for his many excellent achievements, on and off the pitch, during this time. Everyone knows how much Aston Villa means to Dean and his family. He has represented the Club with distinction and dignity - universally liked and respected by everybody associated with Aston Villa – our staff, players and supporters alike. We wish him the very best," he added.