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1. Stan the (non-playing) Man

There won’t be a fairytale return to competitive football at Aston Villa for Stan Petrov. A shame for sure, but he’s been offered a non-playing role. Hopefully that satisfies his ambitions, obviously we’d all like to see him remain at the club.

2. 1 + 2 + N = ?

Following last week’s double friendlies against Telford and Worcester, RDM and board members jetted off to Beijing for a press event with Dr. X. They took turns on a football pitch-themed stage waxing lyrical about the Villa for the assembled Chinese media. Then retired to their lair to plot world domination.

The Guardian spoke with RDM and he talked about Villa being a house that needed knocking down. Also mentioned: The formation of new company, Vicvilla, an energy drink and olive oil business apparently. Addressed at Villa Park, Dr. X & Jamie Banfill listed as directors.

This all seems fine.

3. Please Sir, Can I Have Some More?

The 2,043 allocation of £42 tickets for the season opener in Sheffield sold out and extras were requested. Wednesday must be kicking themselves at not pricing the tickets cheaper.

As I said last week, we vote with our wallets. This looks like a resounding thumbs up for forty quid tickets, notwithstanding the subsequent unfurling of a banner complaining about it.

4. Gil Out

Carles Gil has gone back to Spain, joining Deportivo de La Coruña on loan for the season with an option to make the move permanent. This pretty much means he’s gone permanently. Shame, he’s shown glimpses of real technical quality but [insert your own disparaging counterpoint here].

5. More Premier League Games

The first team might be playing in the Championship this season, but the academy youngsters will be playing in a now rebranded Premier League 2; formally the Professional U21 Development League.

The age limit is now 23. The same exceptions apply: up to four overage players can be fielded; three outfield and one goalkeeper.

Also, as a Category One academy, Villa have been invited to compete in an expanded 24-team Premier League International Cup, entering its third year. 12 English and 12 foreign U23 teams will compete in six groups of four, the winners and two best runners-up qualifying for the knockout phases.

Apparently it’s a competition UEFA tried to block and refused to sanction. As a work around, all games are played in England; matches featuring two foreign teams played on neutral ground.

An additional opportunity to get games for youngsters and lesser used squad players can only be a good thing. Unless there’s a thinkpiece somewhere that declares it the end of football as we know it, natch.

6. Two More Friendlies

The midweek visit to Bristol Rovers was followed by a trip to Nantes for a game that must surely have been part of the deal that brought Jordan Veretout to our side of the channel last summer. Joke’s on them; they thought they’d get a lucrative game against Premier League opposition. It’s sort of like getting him cheaper in a way. You know, if you really think about it.

Bristol Rovers 1 Aston Villa 1

Jordan Ayew opened the scoring five minutes before half time. Bristol equalised in the final ten minutes.

Starting XI: Gollini, Hutton, Okore, Baker, Bennett, Green, Westwood, Tshibola, Grealish, Ayew, Hepburn-Murphy.
Subs: Bunn, Lescott, Sinclair, Gestede, Elphick, Gardner, Gana, Cissokho.

Bunn and Lescott came on after half time, the rest of the bench at the hour mark. The team for the last half hour, then, was Bunn, Okore, Elphick, Lescott, Cissokho, Green, Gana, Gardner, Grealish, Sinclair, Gestede.

And just like that, the (misplaced) optimism created by wins against non-league opposition evaporated. Not going to lie, there was some minor spleen venting in parts of the internet where people vent the spleens.

Nantes 0 Aston Villa 1

Rudy Gestede put away Nathan Baker’s header at a Jack Grealish corner and everything’s great again.

Starting XI: Gollini, Hutton, Elphick, Baker, Cissokho, Bacuna, Westwood, Gana, Veretout, Ayew, Gestede.
Subs: Bunn, Okore, Bennett, Tshibola, Gardner, Lyden, Grealish, Green, Sinclair.

7. Upcoming Games

They go fast, there’s just two more warm-up games left:
July 26th: Cambridge Utd (A)
July 30th: Middlesbrough (H)