*Spoiler Alert* Villa suffer their worst ever season (bearing in mind they employed Paul Lambert that is going some). Read on only if you do not suffer from a nervous disposition.

Villa open the season with three surprises, Tim Sherwood remains in post, a team of unknowns and unwanteds line up at the Goldsands and Villa leave with three points.

That however would be as good as the season got. Skip to 2016-17 by all means.

Villa start a campaign without Paul Lambert at the helm for the first time in four seasons and for that alone goodwill abound. 

Despite the misgivings of many, and the patchy, though ultimately successful 16 game managerial cameo from Sherwood, he was backed to the hilt by the support.

Yet nagging doubts remain as the semi-successful Tim Sherwood of 2014-15 has been kept on and now his squad has been stripped of proven talent (albeit under performing) and is now littered with a raft of unknowns, new to the Premier League and largely new to English football. 

But worse is that the problem goalkeeping position remains unaddressed. That alone means the odds are against him from the start.

Whilst it subsequently transpires that Sherwood had little input in the transfers, it feels a huge ask to expect acclimatisation and performance to be delivered in short order. It wasn’t. 

Centre back Micah Richards, 27, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from Manchester City on a free transfer in July 2015 despite having been mainly known for an injury ravaged spell in the North West. Richards becomes the 876th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Midfielder Idrissa Gueye, 25, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from LOSC Lille for a fee of £8,100,000 in July 2015 to become the 877th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Midfielder Jordan Veretout, 22, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from FC Nantes for a fee of £9,000,000 in July 2015 to become the 878th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Forward Jordan Ayew, 23, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from FC Lorient for a fee of £10,800,000 in July 2015 to become the 879th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Left back Jordan Amavi, 21, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from OGC Nice for a fee of £9,900,000 in July 2015 to become the 880th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

Forward Rudy Gestede, 26, makes his debut in a Villa shirt after joining from Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £7,650,000 in July 2015 to become the 881st player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

In total Villa fielded £45.5m of new talent which seemed a significant outlay for five players without Premier League experience.

Leandro Bacuna collects his 10th booking in a Villa shirt on his 65th appearance (47 Starts) to make it W24 D12 L29, 5 Goals, 6 Assists and 10 Bookings so far in his Villa career.