Jonny Gould's Football Channel

This is a wonderful conversation between two Aston Villa fans, who have supported the club through thick and thin for the last 58 years. Million selling author Lee Child, famous for the Jack Reacher thriller series and Simon Inglis, who’s written authoritative accounts of football stadium across the world. The conversation covers so much social and football history and is in aid of the Aston and Nechells food bank, which does such a vital job for the community around Birmingham six. To donate to the valuable work of the food bank, follow this link. https://astonnechells.foodbank.org.uk

Covid has turned the Premier League on its head. The FFP regulations have hampered some of the rich and powerful and brought some of the lesser lights in midtable back into a powerplay. Where do Aston Villa fit into this new disruption? There's really only one person to ask: it's Yorkshire AVFC, the one and only FFP professor, Dave Jordan. ⚽️ Dave knows: ▫️How much wiggle room Villa has in the transfer market ▫️Why Arsenal seemed overkeen to sell Emi Martinez, despite being so highly rated ▫️if we can afford Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash and whoever else is coming ▫️how other clubs in the Premier League are fairing ▫️and you might be surprised who's short of working capital and who isn't! DOWNLOAD now for a great summary of the financial fortunes of Aston Villa as we embark on the 20/21 season. JOIN The Villa Trust today for as little as a fiver at www.villatrust.org.uk.

I reckon Aston Villa fans are as proud of our famous supporters as we are of our players! From genius violinists to the future king of England, from accomplished authors and actors to prime ministers who mistake us for West Ham! And an authentic voice of our beloved city. A poet, who over 5 decades has become a household name for his poetry and music. It’s the one and only Benjamin Zephaniah, also a patron of our Supporters’ Trust, who gave me such a generous amount of time in this wide-ranging discussion about Villa memories, growing up in the area, how it’s changed and we touched on his philosophies and views too. It’s just a fiver to join the Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust. Join today at www.villatrust.org.uk and follow us on Twitter at @villa_trust.

This is the first podcast since our AGM with CEO Christian Purslow and legendary winger Tony Daley - and with lockdown since then, there's a lot to catch up on. We have a very special guest as Nick Timothy, Theresa May's joint chief of staff at Downing Street and Villa season ticket holder joins me to talk about growing up in Tile Hill and going to school in Aston. Villa's membership of the Premier League hangs on a knife edge. As the chances of Project Restart rescind and as the FA insist promotion and relegation must be honoured, what will happen? We have written to CEO Christian Purslow about playing our remaining games at neutral venues - and Mr Purslow agrees that it'd be a huge decision for anyone running Villa to take home advantage away from our difficult first season back. Jonny's point is we have a game in hand! We can't be relegated on the basis that we might have won three points with it! We also update you on what we've been doing as a Trust since lockdown and I'm delighted to talk to Nick Timothy about his life as a Villa fan.

As promised following the popular episode from our AGM with Christian Purslow, we were also delighted to have Villa and England wing legend, Tony Daley with us too. Tony told us about his wonderful years as part of both Graham Taylor and Ron Atkinson's sides of the late 80s and early 90s and the toughest opponents and best teammates he played with and against. He also talks about his coaching career with Neil Warnock at Sheffield United and working sports science and specialist coaching nowadays. Join the Villa Trust today! #YourClubYourVoice at www.villatrust.org.uk

Each year, the Aston Villa Supporters' Trust AGM gives supporter members exclusive access to ask questions of our CEO. Christian Purslow gave generous time and answers to kit manufacture, Bodymoor Heath development with HS2 in mind, his long-term strategy related to the Under-23s and much more. It’s a serious business, we all want Aston Villa to continue on an upward curve - and the fans addressed their concerns to the CEO in an atmosphere of support. The Trust AGM was also delighted to welcome Tony Daley, who recalled some wonderful memories of his career. He paid tribute to Graham Taylor, who he says had the greatest influence on his career and he also brought us right up to date with his current career in sports science and coaching. That podcast will appear at a later date. Watch this space. Be part of the AVST by becoming a member now at www.villatrust.org.uk

What's happened to Aston Villa's season since December? A terrible loss of form, some highly damaging injuries and a seeming loss of confidence and direction during games. But while the men struggle, the women are doing the business! Many congratulations to Gemma Davies on winning the Championship Manager of the Month for December. Villa have a majestic lead at the top of the table. Dean Smith's attacking-style looks more like Paul Lambert and Steve Bruce's ill-fated teams. He’s struggling with a lack of options. So what now? A great win at Burnley but at the cost of two awful injuries to Heaton and Wesley, a draw in the first-leg of the Carabao semi, but heavy defeat at home to Manchester City. What can we hope for in the transfer window? Will Christian Purslow stick with Dean Smith? Who's responsible for this? Here's Howard and Jonny and YOUR contributions.

Aston Villa enter December and the Christmas and New Year period showing signs of development and acclimatization to the Premier League and with individual players being acknowledged by their countries. John McGinn with Scotland, England's Tyrone Mings and a pair of Brazilians in the shape of Luiz and Wesley. So Howard and Jonny ask when Jack Grealish will join the international class and if the creditable 2-2 draw at Manchester United is the shape of things to come? On behalf of the Supporters' Trust, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Howard and Jonny are back together to work out how the mostly good performances in the Premier League have delivered just four points from the first five games. Villa have shed eight points from winning positions - so what is it? are we still acclimatizing to the demands of the higher division? is Dean Smith still working out how best to put his best formation together? where should Jack be played? Is each player upto it? We'll try and answer the questions and look ahead to our next games against Norwich, Brighton and then the big guns of Manchester City and Liverpool.

Hold on to your hats! Aston Villa return to the Premier League having invested over £120m on a new squad of talents - from goalkeeper to striker. But how top-flight ready is Dean Smith’s team? Howard and Jonny are delighted that the cream of the crop which won promotion are also retained - but how many of them will be regular first-teamers and what’s a realistic finish in our first season back in the Premier League?

Don’t you just hate those flippant questions from non-Villa fans? I gave it short shrift to sports Johnny on Nicky Campbell’s Breakfast Show.

There's been a lot of paper talk about Manchester United preparing a £50m bid for Aston Villa's player of the season, John McGinn. "Nonsense!", cried Jonny, who doused the rumours by speaking to Jake on the radio

With his expertise in balance sheets, forecasting and the language of business, fellow Villan Dave Jordan writes and tweets extensively about Aston Villa's financial and business fortunes, able to respond to changes in Companies House reporting, amendments, ownership and other movements with speed and accuracy. Now Villa are in the Premier League, there are significant (even fundamental) changes in governance and FFP, so Dave spells out the good news as well as considerations and precautions that we need to know of. Given the popularity of our last podcast in the Championship on these issues, Dave has followed up with a comprehensive new report. Follow Dave Jordan at www.twitter.com/YorkshireAVFC

The phone has been ringing off the hook from TV and radio stations across the world asking me to pop on the line or in to the studios for a comment on Aston Villa's unlikely, yet stunning return to the Premier League. I talk now with the responsibility of representing the fans through the Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust and what a pleasure it is to pay tribute to the manager and players that have made it possible.

What seemed an impossible dream even two months ago came true at Wembley on a late Spring Bank Holiday as Aston Villa secured promotion back to the Premier League after a three-year absence. It capped off a truly remarkable season which started with the club in desperate straits, a manager who held on despite losing the same Championship play-off last season and the possibility of bankruptcy and fire-sale of assets. The story of Dean Smith's arrival as late as October following the arrival of the new NSWE ownership is the stuff of legend. So what now? Howard and Jonny got together at the final whistle - just as they did last season - but this time to dream of the new possibilities ahead.

The richest game in Aston Villa's history (again!). After crushing defeat to Fulham at the end of last season, Villa find themselves back at Wembley twelve months later with new ownership, new management, a mostly new team - but the same old fans!! But are we going to make that vital return to the Premier League after a three-year exile? Can we beat Frank Lampard's Derby? Here's Howard and Jonny's eve of Wembley verdict!

Phil Williams' final show on BBC Radio 5 Live was a special occasion; I was part of his regular Team Talk feature, as one of contributors for several years. Alongside others including Ian Herbert, Ian Ladyman, Alison Bender and Conor McNamara, we all came together for one last hurrah. The conversation moved onto Aston Villa's playoff hopes and reminiscences of Tony Butler and even a cameo appearance by Villa's European hero, Nigel Spink! Wherever Phil ends up on the dial, follow him. He's a fine broadcaster and a good mate. Cheers Phil!

An incredible late season run has seen Aston Villa storm into the playoffs - but are we optimistic ahead of two-legs against WBA and a Wembley final against either Leeds or Derby? The podcast also includes a clip of the Villa Trust charity single by Emma Flowers, "Walking With McGinn" - available now at avst.bandcamp.com

Happy Villa families, Jimmy Hessel-style! Magnificent artwork by officially Villa's "weirdest fan"! Yes, it's the latest Villa Trust podcast with Howard and Jonny, as they look back on Magnificent March, the sudden and very real prospect of a play-off push and how an international break can sometimes come to the aid of an out-of-form player. (Also contains a not too bad impression of Steve Bruce by Jonny!)

Dave Jordan joins us on the Villa Trust podcast to fully explain the latest accounts - and why we're still so short of FFP compliance. He predicts the next financial year ahead and assesses what's needed to improve our financial fortunes. Make no mistake, NWSE saved Aston Villa and sooner or later, these businessmen will want to see an improvement in our footballing fortunes - and Villa fans need to appreciate the tough starting point the new ownership begin from.

What better preparation could there be for Birmingham City away than an emphatic four–nil thrashing of Derby County and the return of Jack Grealish to our lineup? Recollecting that moment, a look at our accounts just out and the reality of our situation outside the Premier League are all looked at. Plus the work of Reverend Philip Nott, Doug’s angels and you’ve got topical Villa chat for half an hour. Hope you can join us!

Howard and Jonny are back to explain the rationale behind such a busy transfer window, Dean Smith’s first as Aston Villa manager. In addition, Tyrone Mings’ debut which competed for man of the match but for controversy in his clash with Nelson Oliveira. And a look at the season defining fixtures coming up against Sheffield United, Brentford and West Bromwich Albion.

What a fantastic evening we enjoyed at the Holte Suite at Villa Park for the annual AGM. But it was more than just about votes and procedures – we also welcomed Christian Purslow, our new club CEO who outlined Aston Villa’s prospects – plus there was a highly entertaining question and answer session with two Villa legends, Brian Little and Ian Taylor. Here’s Jonny Gould and Howard Hodgson.

Howard and Jonny are back to preview a busy holiday time for Villa, there's news of the AGM (where you can have your say as a fan among the biggest names at the club), we look at some of the players Dean Smith might target in the January transfer window - and a Christmas present suggestion for Villa fans too. Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Looking forward to a terrific Second City derby weekend in prospect, Howard and Jonny preview Blues, Howard reveals how close he was to an alternative summer takeover, tributes to Ron Saunders and Doug Ellis and why our Supporters‘ Trust is a vehicle which always guarantees the club’s community base.

We haven’t played a single competitive minute of football since the sacking of Steve Bruce, the appointment of the new management team Dean Smith, John Terry and Richard O’Kelly - and the passing of former chairman Doug Ellis - yet Aston Villa fans have experienced every emotion in between. Here’s our thoughts. Join in by reply!

What now for #avfc? Defeat in the @SkyBetChamp #PlayOffFinal brings with it harsh new financial realities. So what does a third Championship season require? I spoke to Howard at the final whistle at Wembley