Row with fans the turning point for Villa
Fans rowing with players on the touchline and as they boarded the team bus might not have been the best advert for Aston Villa.
But 10 days later it seems to have done the trick.
A lacklustre draw with Wycombe Wanderers during round three of the FA Cup seemed to be the final straw for many of the fans.
Villa's record, home and away in recent years, has been dire to say the least but the support has still been there.
Many of the travelling faithful felt the manner in which their side threw away a 1-0 lead against the League Two side was too much to take and they had it out with the players.
Manager Remi Garde, instead of hiding behind the fracas, almost embraced the hostile reception and said it showed how passionately the fans followed their club.
He also went about making some bold changes, which included dropping captain Micah Richards, the goalscorer again Wycombe.
Villa may still be rock-bottom but they have claimed four points from their last two games since that Cup tie and will go into tonight's third-round replay with some renewed confidence.
Villa played some of their best football in the FA Cup last season, enjoying wins over Leicester, Albion and Liverpool on route to the final.
And Garde feels his footballing message and philosophy might finally be getting through to some of his players.
He said: "My message maybe has not gone through to everybody. Now I thank people who are getting my message."
Defence has been the main area where Garde was rung the changes, which saw Aly Cissokho recalled from a loan spell at Porto.
The full-back was drafted in after Jordan Amavi picked up a serious knee injury.
Mark Bunn has also replaced Brad Guzan in goal, with Jores Okore and Joleon Lescott becoming the preferred pairing at centre-half.
Cissokho was thrilled to be back playing for Villa and claims it took him less than a second to say 'yes' when he was asked to come back for a relegation scrap.
He said: "I was with the gaffer for four years at Lyon and he was my manager for one season.
"I'm very happy to be back at Villa, very happy to be back in the Premier League and very happy to be playing again.
"I'm enjoying every minute the gaffer is giving me and I'm giving everything I have back in return. This is like a second beginning for me at Villa."
