Villa chairman Steve Hollis in the thick of it

Hollis, who replaced owner Randy Lerner as chairman yesterday, will take a hands-on role in attempting to reverse the club's fortunes.

The Birmingham-based businessman, who spent more than 30 years with KPMG and is deputy chairman of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP, was hailed by Lerner as having a proven record of 'getting into the thick of troubled organisations'.

Bottom of the Premier League, Villa are likely to relegated to the Championship and Hollis spoke of the need to 'overcome under-performance'.

He said: "As I have got to know Randy and spent more time with (chief executive) Tom Fox and (manager) Remi Garde it has become increasingly clear a strong board that drives the necessary discipline and leadership will be at the core of the changes needed to overcome the under-performance Aston Villa has experienced over the last five years.

"As we have witnessed in the Premier League this year with other clubs – money no longer buys success. Randy has consistently provided financial backing, no less so than last year.

"Our future success, however, lies in building a winning culture underpinned by a commitment to continuous improvement both on and off the pitch."

Lerner, who remains owner but is set to take even more of a back seat, first revealed plans to appoint a new chairman last May.

He said the club have appointed 'a chairman with a proven track record for getting into the thick of troubled organisations, working with embattled executives and getting results'.

Hollis was first approached by the club in November and his arrival is expected to be the first step in a larger overhaul of the board.

A well-known figure in the West Midlands business world, he was also chairman of Birmingham Metropolitan College and in a 2012 interview described his management style as 'a steel fist, under a very generous velvet glove'.