Dean Smith has been named Aston Villa’s new boss.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at what life-long Villa fan Smith, who turned Brentford into a promotion-challenging outfit, needs to do at Villa Park.
Win promotion
They needed to find £40million to comply with regulations before Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris completed their takeover and late window spending is likely to have raised that figure.
With the EFL expected to come down hard on Birmingham’s breach, Villa cannot afford to miss out on promotion again.
Fix the defence
They finished Steve Bruce’s final game, a 3-3 draw with Preston, with a back four of right-backs and have been left unbalanced in defence.
Terry will be expected to handle the problem and it is a quirk of fate that Villa’s best defender will be one who has just retired – and who they have failed to replace since he left in the summer.
Sort the goalkeeper problem
Sam Johnstone’s successful loan from Manchester United looked to have sorted their problem but he joined West Brom on a permanent deal in the summer.
Villa could not afford to keep him and signings Orjan Nyland and Andre Moreira have failed to impress.
Jed Steer started the opening-day win at Hull but was then shipped out on loan to Charlton, while Mark Bunn made just his second start of 2018 in Bruce’s finale.
Get Jack Grealish firing
One excellent performance in the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in 2015 is not enough and Grealish has admitted he has not performed this season.
Just one assist in 12 appearances this term is a meagre return for a player that has been lauded by the Villa fans, who are prepared to overlook his failings.
There is talent there and Smith must harness it consistently – which five managers have failed to do.
