Norwich's victory brings to an end our record-breaking winning streak, but what a finish to the season!! Written off and languishing in the bottom half of the Championship table just two months ago we're now in the play-offs for the last remaining promotion spot.
The team and their families are lead out by captain-for-the-day Alan Hutton for the usual Lap of Appreciation and are greeted with rapturous applause
One final lovely gesture. At the end of the Lap Glenn Whelan comes across to give his training jacket to one lucky young man who doubtless will treasure it for years to come!
The last game of the regular season is at home to Norwich. With a play-off spot already secured, manager Dean Smith chooses to rest Tyrone Mings, Tammy Abraham, Jack Grealish, John McGinn and Ahmed Elmohamady.
Elmo makes way for Alan Hutton who is given the captain's armband in recognition of his service and dedication to the cause. In all likelihood it will be his final match in a Villa shirt.
Norwich draw first blood with a well-worked goal in the seventh minute by Finnish forward, Teemu Pukki, the Championship's leading scorer this season. Villa strike back with an equally well-worked equaliser by Jonathan Kodjia his third in four games. And so the teams go in level at half-time.
The second half proves equally entertaining with both teams going for the winner. Fittingly, it's Norwich who score with just a few minutes left to play, the goal coming from a low shot by Mario Vrancic. It secures the Championship title deservedly for the Canaries, who have had a marvelous season. Let's just hope we can join them in the Premiership via the forthcoming play-offs!
It's a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon and we're at Villa Park to support the plucky boys in claret and blue as they take on the recently relegated Stoke. A chilling wind swirls ice-cold sheets of rain across the ground. Hardly ideal playing conditions.
Stoke are well organised under the regime of new manager, Gary Rowett. They press hard and high, forcing Villa onto the back-foot much of the time. Half-time provides a welcome opportunity to retreat to the warmth of the stand and a hot cup of tea - the game still locked in a goal-less draw.
That doesn't last long. James McClean dispossesses a floundering Alan Hutton just two minutes into the second half and sends over a cross which is steered into the Villa goal by Joe Allen. It takes an inspired substitution and the introduction of a re-invigorated Jonathan Kodija to bring us to life. He wins a penalty, scored coolly by Tammy Abraham after a long wait.
Our joy is short-lived. At the other end of the pitch the lack-lustre Ahmed Elmohamady concedes a needless penalty, which is duly converted by Benik Afobe. Villa do not give up, however. With just six minutes to go Yannick Bolasie puts in a superb cross which is headed in by Kodija for the equaliser.
Not a great game by any stretch of the imagination, perhaps as a result of the inclement weather, but at least the unbeaten run continues. We just need to convert some of those draws into wins over the Christmas period to move closer to the play-off spots.
