Villa set to spend £2m - on a new badge
Aston Villa are set to press ahead with a multi-million pound rebrand despite the imminent threat of relegation from the Premier League.
The changes were drawn up by chief commercial officer Charlie Wijeratna and sanctioned by former chief executive Tom Fox.
It will see the word 'Prepared' removed from the club's badge, while the Lion Rampant will have claws.
Villa's first rebrand since 2007 is expected to cost in the region of £2million and will go ahead despite relegation, which could be confirmed as early as this Saturday.
It means the club will miss out on next season's bumper Premier League TV deal.
New chairman Steve Hollis has been looking at every aspect of the club since joining in January to ensure costs are kept to a minimum.
But is is thought the rebrand was signed off before Hollis or new directors David Bernstein and Mervyn King arrived at Villa Park, with Wijeratna hiring London-based design company Some One to lead it.
Caretaker boss Eric Black is meanwhile set to appoint former Rangers youth chief Jimmy Sinclair to assist him during his spell in charge of the team, which could last until the end of the season.
Sinclair has most recently been working in Scottish League Two with Queen's Park, but spent the best part of a decade in charge of the youth academy at Ibrox.
