Eric Black relieved as Villa stop the rot

Black also hailed the club's "breathtaking" support, after Villa Park played host to Premier League football for the last time for at least a season.

A point meant the claret and blues avoided setting a new club record for consecutive league defeats.

And the result provided some comfort for Black, who had experienced defeat in every game since replacing Remi Garde in March.

He said: "It is relief more than anything else. We knew we were relegated for some time.

"But the main aim and the most important factor is to make sure some of these supporters come back next season with slightly more optimism than they would have.

"It's a small step, very small, I'm not saying it is any more than that. But small steps are needed to build something."

More than 1,000 fans took part in a pre-game protest against the club's wantaway owner Randy Lerner. Yet the atmosphere inside the ground often bordered on the carniva.

Home supporters taking delight in the plight of the visiting Magpies, who now seem almost certain to join Villa in the Championship next season.

Not even the appearance of a plane trailing the banner "Randy Lerner is a Blue BCFC" could dampen the mood.

Fans released beach balls and 2,500 balloons, which briefly brought a halt the game in the 74th minute after some strayed onto the pitch.

The atmosphere was in complete contrast to the toxic which had greeted Villa's most recent home fixtures.

Black said: "We talked all week about the supporters because this club is going to need support behind it, next season especially.

"I thought last week we edged toward them but today we took another step. I think the response from the supporters was breathtaking for me.

"We never knew what was going to happen but I think they saw the players had continued from last week and worked tirelessly. We took a little step toward them."

Villa, who lined up in a 5-3-2 formation, failed to register a shot on target during the 90 minutes, while Jack Colback and Alexsander Mitrovic wasted good opportunities for the visitors.

Black continued: "It is very difficult when you are setting up a team which has lost 72 goals this season. To take teams on is difficult at times and we had one or two injuries as well.

"The atmosphere was pretty close to the 12th man when it gets rocking. It was all about the supporters, getting back on side a little bit with them.

"They have worked tirelessly in difficult conditions. A lot of these players have only one or two games to go. They could easily have downed tools and decided 'it wasn't my fault.'

"They have chosen today and last week to come out and run themselves to a standstill, every single one of them."