Aston Villa blogger Matthew Turvey believes patience will be needed in the coming months and, perhaps, years to turn them back in the force they once were.

I was having a conversation with a number of fans in recent weeks and what seemed to be the over-riding topic was ‘when will Aston Villa get back to their past glories.’

It is, in reality, a topic that pops up repeatedly in our support. Time and time again, we look back on successes such as the League Cup wins in the 1990s, our Division One title in 1981 or our European Cup win in 1982.

Supporting the Villa, it would seem, involves large period of longingly reminiscing about the past. A past that many feel we are unable to recreate in any time in the near future.

Why? The problem are two fold ultimately. Firstly, we are entrenched in a financial situation that affects our potential growth and, secondly, we consistently, as fans, seem to choose to live obliviously in the past rather than the present.

With regard to the first point, whether one wants to blame Martin O’Neill, Randy Lerner, or whoever for where we currently are financially, it makes no odds. The reality is that we are where we are and we can only move forwards once we accept this.

Our wage bill was, and still is, out of control. When we had a wage to turnover ratio of 80 per cent, it was largely unsustainable.

Compare and contrast that to a wage bill of £68million for Tottenham Hotspur, versus our £80million wage bill. Spurs had a higher revenue, a lower wage bill and ultimately achieved what we couldn’t – a top four finish.

So, with all that in mind, the only way forwards is ultimately via a sensible organisation of finances. Now I know, speaking purely as a fan for moment, this isn’t the most interesting or thrilling way to follow a football team.

Fans want success, great players and gratification. The reality, however, isn’t likely to bring these successes in any short term plan.

The only way to get back to success involves a business like methodology that grows turnover, cuts the wheat from the chaff, and ensures that Aston Villa continues to grow as an organisation.

The deal with Genting Casinos is part of that development, but that partnership is not going to be provide a solution instantaneously.

As any business owner will tell you, growing your market is always a sensible option in terms of sustainability, but it isn’t a quick fix.

Investing in areas that are new to a product involves time, effort and planning. To some, these suggestions seem alien, embroiled as they are in an instant gratification culture.

Which leads me into my second point, which is that a multitude of our support live in the past. Again, what I am saying is not necessarily going to be a view that garners vociferous public support, but it’s the truth.

When I have to think back to a time when I was still taking exams at school to recall that last silverware we won, it shows that our successes are firmly in the past. I, by comparison, am in my early 30s now.

The solution to this way that we have been for so long is to re-evaluate. Nobody is suggesting that we should be aligning our expectation with that of relegation in the short term, or even that of mid-table mediocrity in the long term. What I am suggesting, however, is that we have to be realistic about expectations.

Yes, we won the European Cup in 1982. However, that was 1982, I was three years old, and is not indicative of where we are now.

Recent adventures in Europe created far less success, with a multitude of reasons why. Largely, one would suggest, due to the fact that rotation was never used, and our players were unable to cope.

Add into that, we lack players of European football quality. Be objective, just how many of our players do you think would be able to fight for a first team place for a side in Europe? Not many I would imagine. Maybe three?

Anyway, getting back to the present. Villa have issues with finances that we are unable to resolve without a period of relative austerity.

Yes, we have released a number of first team players and sold both Ashley Young and Stewart Downing.

But the reality is though that even this degree of sacrifice is insufficient to lay the foundations of the future. The future can only really begin for Aston Villa in a few seasons where old and unusable players are off the pay-roll.

The reality is that this may mean waiting till the end of the 2012-13 season before we can start again. Not a popular view for those wanting instant success, but the only real and practical solution to our current issues.

Financial Fair Play rules coming into place means Lerner can not continue to fund an unstable overspending football club and illustrates that no other owner could come in and do any better.

FFP, by it’s definition is there to stop rich owners spending over and above a sustainable level. Consider that before you suggest we would be better off under a nameless rich oil sheik.

Villa have to play by the rules from now on and that means financially being prudent. It may not be the most exciting route, or one that cultivates short term success, but it’s the only path we can tread that leads us to a future of being a financially stable and sustainable enterprise.

The alternative is crashing and burning by choosing to not deal with the issues we already have at the club.

To do so jeopardises the future of our beloved club and I, for one, am very pleased this is not the route recommended by Messrs Lerner and Faulkner.

The future can be bright, but the future involves both patience and realignment of our current setup with realistic short term expectations.

You can also follow Villa blogger Matthew Turvey at his own site, http://www.astonvillalife.com.