Aston Villa's turnover will halve following relegation, says financial expert David Bick
Monday 18 April 2016 13:45, UK
Aston Villa's overall turnover is expected to halve following relegation to the Championship, according to financial expert David Bick.
Villa's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on Saturday following a 1-0 defeat away at Manchester United, ending their 28-year stay in the top-flight.
Chairman Steve Hollis described Villa's relegation as the culmination of an "unacceptably fractured" season both on and off the pitch, and Bick says the club will already be counting the cost of dropping out of the Premier League.
"What would Villa look like financially if they stayed in the Premier League? Based on their previous turnover and based on the minimum media rights payment for the bottom club next season going up to £100m, I would have thought they would have been capable of turning around £150m," Bick told Sky Sports Now.
"In the Championship, with the media rights payment being probably I doubt even a third of that £100m when the numbers are finally hammered out, their overall turnover is going to halve.
"They are going to have to restructure and cut costs. Wages for most players will come down, I am sure they'll have clauses in the contracts about going down to the Championship.
"Nevertheless, there's a critical issue about getting the right coaching staff in, rebuilding the squad and some investment will be needed, but at the same time they'll have to cut costs."
Villa are without a manager, having parted company with Tim Sherwood's successor, Remi Garde, in March.
Only 35 per cent of teams relegated after finishing 20th - where Villa currently sit - bounce back with promotion the following season.
However, Bick added: "It is absolutely critical for a big club like Aston Villa, they cannot afford to stay in a lower division for too long.
"They need to act very quickly, but also think very carefully about how they put the club back together again for next season."
