Aston Villa caretaker manager Eric Black has insisted that the club are capable of bouncing straight back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Villans will be playing in the second tier for the first time in almost 30 years next season after finishing bottom of the Premier League having amassed just 17 points all term.
Black acknowledged that a number of issues need to be resolved at the club, but he is confident that they will respond in the Championship next term.
"I think it's realistic due to the stature of Aston Villa, no question," he told reporters.
"Obviously there are ongoing things in regards to the ownership and a new manager that comes in but I have no doubt that Aston Villa will be a massive club with a great opportunity to come straight back.
"I said to [the players], some of you are going to be here next year and you need to try and get that discord [with the fans] removed slightly. It's small steps as we've spoken about in previous weeks."
Villa ended their disastrous campaign with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal on Sunday.
Barney Corkhill
