Villa fans plan protest at next three games

Aston Villa fans are planning mass walkouts during their next three home games – as it emerged the club's first team were beaten 3-0 by their own under-21 side.

First-team regulars were put to the sword by the development team in a behind-closed- doors match at their Bodymoor Heath training ground.

Friday's latest humiliation was watched by boss Remi Garde and is understood to have included many familiar faces.

The likes of Brad Guzan, Alan Hutton, Ciaran Clark, Kieran Richardson, Ashley Westwood, Jordan Veretout, Idrissa Gueye and Scott Sinclair are all said to have featured.

The news emerged as the newly-formed' Out The Door On 74' group, named after the club's founding year of 1874.

It's encouraging fans to take part in a peaceful protest against the board and its strategy over the last six years.

Group member Mike McKenna, aged 62, originally from Saltley, in Birmingham, now travels from his home in Bournemouth to attend every home game.

He said: "I have seen the highest of highs and the lowest of the lows over the last 57 years.

"Despite our time in the old third division, in my opinion the club is now at its lowest ebb ever and it may be a long, long time before we come back.

"In many ways the situation reminds me of the era prior to 1968 when the directors of the club were considered out of touch and lacking the ambition.

"However, back then the voice of the supporters was much more important and as we proved change could be affected when a new consortium was installed."

The walkouts are planned for Villa's home games against Everton, Spurs and Chelsea.

Mr McKenna, who runs a business in Bournemouth, said after launching the group's website on Sunday it received 3,000 hits by yesterday morning.

He think fans, despite the words of Tom Fox, Steve Hollis and others before, no longer have confidence in the board.

He said: "We don't want to hurt the club financially, which is why we are not backing a boycott."