With the new campaign kicking off, Aston Villa fans are preparing for a fresh chapter at the club after numerous squad and coaching staff changes following May’s Europa League victory.
As the Villa reporter, I’ll be bringing you comprehensive coverage throughout 2026-27.
My aim is to immerse you in the action. By joining our Premium subscription, you’ll receive our most thorough coverage possible, including transfer updates, behind-the-scenes access, in-depth analysis, commentary, video content, and exclusive insights into those driving the club forward.
We’ll keep covering the issues that interest you most, bring you details on new signings, and break it all down on the Claret & Blue podcast.
You’ll also receive:
Full access to the BirminghamLive app
A cleaner, faster reading experience online with fewer advertisements*
We’d love to have you join us — subscribe here. Membership begins at £4.99 per month, with the first month just £1, or £39.99 annually.
Here’s what you can look forward to with my Premium subscription for BirminghamLive.
Exclusive behind-the-scenes content through my weekly Reporter’s Notebook, featuring the latest from the boardroom, training ground, transfer speculation and analysis
Q&As: I want to hear from you. Send me your pressing questions through our Claret & Blue mailbag and each week I’ll respond to the best ones.
Comprehensive analysis: We’ll take you further than just the result and headlines, exploring the reasoning and methodology behind each match or news story – covering tactics, key statistics and data.
Additional video: We’re expanding our Claret & Blue coverage this season with preview episodes, reaction shows and breaking news specials.
Commentary: When major stories emerge, I’ll provide the perspective fans want to read, getting straight to the core of the matter.
Premium newsletters: A new newsletter written by me will be launching for Premium subscribers, featuring the best interviews, analysis and breaking news from Villa.
Whether you’re reading my player ratings, listening to the podcast, watching my social media videos from Villa Park, or submitting questions for me to answer, thank you for your tremendous support.
I can’t wait to dive into the Premier League season 2026-27. This time with even improved access for you, the readers.
The football schedule never slows down – and neither do we.
John Townley, Aston Villa correspondent
*Fewer ads means you’ll see significantly fewer standard advertising display formats within the article pages you read, selected articles may contain commercial messages or affiliate links where contractually necessary.