# 2016–17 Aston Villa F.C. season

The 2016–17 EFL Championship season was Aston Villa's 142nd season in English football. It was the club's first season in the Football League Championship following their relegation from the Premier League last season. It was also their first season in the second tier of English football since the formation of the Premier League.
On 2 June 2016, Roberto Di Matteo was appointed the manager of the newly relegated Championship club, working under the new chairman Tony Xia. Di Matteo's former Chelsea teammate Steve Clarke was appointed as his assistant on the same day. Xia also appointed Keith Wyness as CEO. On 3 October 2016, Di Matteo was sacked as manager after a string of poor results culminating in a 2–0 defeat at Preston North End.
On 12 October 2016, Steve Bruce was appointed manager. In his second match in charge, Villa defeated Reading, the club's first win in 11 games and the first away win for 14 months. Bruce brought in Colin Calderwood as assistant manager from Brighton & Hove Albion and Stephen Clemence from old club Hull City as first-team coach.

## Transfers
### Transfers out

* ↑ Following Richardson's release, he signed for Cardiff City.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000004F-QINU`"'
* ↑ Following Kinsella's release, he signed for Colchester United.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000006B-QINU`"'
* ↑ Following Donacien's release, he signed for Accrington Stanley.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000006F-QINU`"'
* ↑ Following Bannister's release, he signed for Watford.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000073-QINU`"'
* ↑ Following Webb's release, he signed for Kilmarnock.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000077-QINU`"'
* ↑ Following Lyons-Foster's release, he signed for Bristol City.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000079-QINU`"'
* ↑ Undisclosed compensation fee agreed between clubs after Robinson turned down new contract offer.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000007B-QINU`"'

### Loans out
## Non-competitive
### Pre-season

Win  Draw  Loss

## Competitions
### Football League Championship
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 11 | Preston North End | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 64 | 63 | +1 | 62 |
| 12 | Cardiff City | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 60 | 61 | −1 | 62 |
| 13 | Aston Villa | 46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 47 | 48 | −1 | 62 |
| 14 | Barnsley | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 64 | 67 | −3 | 58 |
| 15 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 54 | 58 | −4 | 58 |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 7 May 2017. Source: Football League Championship

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | W | D | D | L | D | D | D | D | D | L | D | W | W | D | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | W | D | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | D | L | L | W | L | D |
| Position | 19 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |

#### Matches

Win  Draw  Loss
On 22 June 2016, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.

### FA Cup

Win  Draw  Loss

### EFL Cup

Win  Draw  Loss

## First team squad

| N | Pos. | Name | Age | EU | Since | App | Goals | Ends | Transfer fee | Notes |
| 1 | GK | Pierluigi Gollini | 29 | EU | 2016 | 17 | 0 | 2020 | £4.1M | On loan at Atalanta |
| 2 | CB | Nathan Baker | 33 | EU | 2009 | 99 | 1 | 2019 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 4 | RB | Micah Richards | 36 | EU | 2015 | 31 | 2 | 2019 | Free | |
| 5 | CM | Henri Lansbury | 34 | EU | 2017 | 1 | 0 | 2021 | £2.75M | |
| 6 | CB | Tommy Elphick | 37 | EU | 2016 | 14 | 0 | 2019 | £3M | |
| 7 | MF | Leandro Bacuna | 33 | Non-EU | 2013 | 110 | 7 | 2020 | £800,000 | |
| 8 | MF | Aaron Tshibola | 30 | EU | 2016 | 7 | 1 | 2020 | £5M | On loan at Nottingham Forest |
| 10 | FW | Jordan Ayew | 33 | Non-EU | 2015 | 53 | 10 | 2020 | £9M | |
| 11 | FW | Gabriel Agbonlahor | 38 | EU | 2005 | 375 | 84 | 2018 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 12 | DF | James Chester | 36 | EU | 2016 | 17 | 0 | 2020 | Undisclosed | Captain |
| 13 | GK | Jed Steer | 32 | EU | 2013 | 4 | 0 | 2019 | Free | |
| 14 | MF | Conor Hourihane | 34 | EU | 2017 | 0 | 0 | 2020 | Undisclosed | |
| 16 | DF | James Bree | 27 | EU | 2017 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | Undisclosed | |
| 18 | FW | Libor Kozák | 35 | EU | 2013 | 20 | 4 | 2017 | £4.88M | |
| 19 | LW | Andre Green | 26 | EU | 2016 | 8 | 0 | 2018 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 20 | RB | Birkir Bjarnason | 36 | EU | 2017 | 0 | 0 | 2020 | Undisclosed | |
| 21 | RB | Alan Hutton | 40 | EU | 2011 | 109 | 1 | 2017 | £3.38M | |
| 22 | CM | Gary Gardner | 32 | EU | 2011 | 29 | 1 | 2018 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 23 | LB | Jordan Amavi | 30 | EU | 2015 | 25 | 0 | 2020 | £8.25M | |
| 25 | CM | Mile Jedinak | 40 | Non-EU | 2016 | 13 | 0 | 2019 | £4M | |
| 26 | FW | Jonathan Kodjia | 35 | EU | 2016 | 13 | 7 | 2020 | £15M | |
| 27 | DF | Ritchie De Laet | 36 | EU | 2016 | 3 | 0 | 2019 | £2M | |
| 28 | LB | Aly Cissokho | 37 | EU | 2014 | 58 | 0 | 2018 | £1.88M | On loan at Olympiacos |
| 29 | FW | Rushian Hepburn-Murphy | 26 | EU | 2015 | 3 | 0 | 2017 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 31 | GK | Mark Bunn | 40 | EU | 2015 | 15 | 0 | 2017 | Free | |
| 33 | GK | Matija Sarkic | 27 | EU | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 2017 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 34 | GK | Sam Johnstone | 31 | EU | 2016 | 2 | 0 | 2017 | Loan | On loan from Manchester United |
| 36 | FW | Jerell Sellars | 29 | EU | 2015 | 0 | 0 | 2017 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 37 | RW | Albert Adomah | 37 | EU | 2016 | 11 | 1 | 2020 | £6M | |
| 38 | DM | Jordan Lyden | 29 | Non-EU | 2016 | 4 | 0 | 2017 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 39 | FW | Keinan Davis | 27 | EU | 2016 | 2 | 0 | 2018 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 40 | MF | Jack Grealish | 29 | EU | 2012 | 60 | 3 | 2018 | YS | Academy Graduate |
| 42 | CB | Niall Mason | 28 | EU | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 2017 | YS | Academy Graduate On loan at Doncaster Rovers |
| 44 | FW | Ross McCormack | 38 | EU | 2016 | 13 | 2 | 2020 | £12M | On loan at Nottingham Forest |
| 46 | CB | Kevin Toner | 28 | EU | 2012 | 4 | 0 | 2018 | YS | Academy Graduate On loan at Bradford City |
| — | RW | Carles Gil | 32 | EU | 2015 (Winter) | 31 | 3 | 2019 | £3.15M | On loan at Deportivo |
| — | DM | Carlos Sánchez | 39 | Non-EU | 2014 | 38 | 1 | 2018 | £4.5M | On loan at Fiorentina |
| — | MF | Jordan Veretout | 31 | EU | 2015 | 29 | 0 | 2020 | £7.5M | On loan at Saint-Étienne |
Updated to match played 26 November 2016 Source: avfc.co.uk
Ordered by squad number. Appearances include all competitive league and cup appearances, including as substitute.

## Squad statistics

    As of 7 May 2017
Appearances (Apps.) numbers are for appearances in competitive games only including sub appearances Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute Red card numbers denote: Numbers in parentheses represent red cards overturned for wrongful dismissal.
| No. | Nat. | Player | Pos. | Championship | Championship | Championship | Championship | FA Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total | Total | Total |
| No. | Nat. | Player | Pos. | Apps | | | | Apps | | | | Apps | | | | Apps | | | |
| 2 | | Nathan Baker | CB | 31 (1) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 33 (1) | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 3 | | Neil Taylor | CB | 14 | | 2 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 14 | | 2 | |
| 4 | | Micah Richards | CB | 1 (1) | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 (1) | | | |
| 5 | | Henri Lansbury | CM | 17 (1) | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 17 (1) | | 2 | |
| 6 | | Tommy Elphick | CB | 20 (6) | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 20 (6) | | 4 | |
| 7 | | Leandro Bacuna | RB | 22 (8) | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | 23 (8) | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| 9 | | Scott Hogan | CF | 9 (4) | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 9 (4) | 1 | 2 | |
| 11 | | Gabriel Agbonlahor | CF | 4 (9) | 1 | 2 | | 1 | | | | | | | | 5 (7) | | 1 | |
| 12 | | James Chester | DF | 45 | 3 | 6 | | 1 | | | | | | | | 46 | 3 | 6 | |
| 13 | | Jed Steer | GK | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | | Conor Hourihane | MF | 13 (4) | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 13 (4) | 1 | 3 | |
| 16 | | James Bree | RB | 6 (1) | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 (1) | | | |
| 18 | | Libor Kozák | FW | 0 (2) | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 (2) | | | |
| 19 | | Andre Green | LW | 4 (11) | | 1 | | 0 (1) | | | | 1 | | | | 5 (12) | | 1 | |
| 20 | | Birkir Bjarnason | LM | 5 (3) | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 (3) | | | |
| 21 | | Alan Hutton | RB | 31 (3) | | 5 | | 1 | | | | 0 (1) | | | | 32 (4) | | 5 | |
| 22 | | Gary Gardner | CM | 18 (8) | 1 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 19 (8) | 1 | 2 | |
| 23 | | Jordan Amavi | LB | 26 (8) | | 6 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 28 (8) | | 6 | |
| 25 | | Mile Jedinak | DM | 33 | | 8 | | 1 | | | | | | | | 34 | | 8 | |
| 26 | | Jonathan Kodjia | FW | 36 | 19 | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | 36 | 19 | 5 | 1 |
| 27 | | Ritchie De Laet | DF | 3 | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | | 1 | |
| 29 | | Rushian Hepburn-Murphy | FW | 0 (3) | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 (3) | | | |
| 31 | | Mark Bunn | GK | 5 (1) | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 6 (1) | | 1 | |
| 34 | | Sam Johnstone | GK | 21 | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 22 | | | |
| 35 | | Corey Blackett-Taylor | MF | 0 (1) | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 0 (1) | | | |
| 37 | | Albert Adomah | MF | 30 (8) | 3 | 1 | | 1 | | | | | | | | 31 (8) | 3 | 1 | |
| 38 | | Jordan Lyden | DM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | | Keinan Davis | FW | 0 (6) | | | | 0 (1) | | | | | | | | 0 (7) | | | |
| 40 | | Jack Grealish | MF | 20 (11) | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 22 (11) | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 46 | | Kevin Toner | CB | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | | Pierluigi Gollini* | GK | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | | | |
| 5 | | Jores Okore* | CB | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | |
| 8 | | Aaron Tshibola* | MF | 5 (3) | 1 | 3 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 7 (3) | 1 | 3 | |
| 10 | | Jordan Ayew* | FW | 17 (4) | 2 | 5 | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 18 (4) | 3 | 6 | |
| 14 | | Rudy Gestede* | FW | 8 (10) | 4 | 3 | | | | | | 0 (1) | | | | 8 (11) | 4 | 3 | |
| 15 | | Ashley Westwood* | MF | 18 (5) | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 18 (5) | | 3 | |
| 20 | | Adama Traoré* | RW | 0 (1) | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 (1) | | | |
| 28 | | Aly Cissokho* | LB | 11 (1) | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 11 (1) | | 2 | |
| 44 | | Ross McCormack* | FW | 13 (7) | 3 | 4 | | 0 (1) | | | | 1 | | 1 | | 14 (8) | 3 | 5 | |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 47 | 80 | 4 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 1 | 2 | 0 | | 48 | 82 | 4 |
Source: (for players and positions) First Team Squad (for squad numbers) Squad Profiles (for actual stats.) Squad Stats.
* (*)Player made appearance(s) before leaving the club on loan or permanently.

### Suspensions

    As of 31 January 2017
| Player | Date Received | Offence | Length of suspension | Length of suspension |
| Leandro Bacuna | v Barnsley, 27/9/16 | 5 cautions | 1 match | Preston North End, Football League Championship |
| Jack Grealish | 15/10/16 | Stamp; retrospective ban. | 3 matches | Reading, Fulham, Birmingham City, Football League Championship |
| Jordan Ayew | v Birmingham City, 30/10/16 | 5 cautions | 1 match | Blackburn Rovers, Football League Championship |
| Ross McCormack | v Blackburn Rovers, 5/11/16 | 5 cautions | 1 match | Brighton & Hove Albion, Football League Championship |