I only posted yesterday that if we beat Fulham next Monday we would win the reserve league for the 2nd year running and then Villa have this announcement.

Villa’s reserve clash against Fulham on Monday has been moved.

The game will now take place behind closed doors at Bodymoor Heath with a 3pm kick-off.

It was originally due to take place at Villa Park at 7pm.

I only get to one reserve game a season but this is just wrong, it deprives the regular watchers of their fix of following the kids and senior pros. This is particularly poor as this could be the league winning game and yet Villa have given NO justification for it whatsoever.

OK so we have Everton 48 hours later but the pitch is in fantastic condition, great weather forecast and would easily cope with this game, besides they have had plenty of time to organise a game somewhere else.

I have commended Villa in the past for their PR but this brusque statement is not good enough and will disappoint and frustrate hundreds of regular reserve watchers.

UPDATE – 16:30

Villa released the following statement at half 4, not sure why this could not have been released 3 hours earlier though, bad PR.

Following consultation with the Premier League and Fulham FC, the club has been left with no alternative other than to play our reserve game against the Cottagers at 3pm on Monday, April 12, behind closed doors at Bodymoor Heath.

Having re-arranged our postponed Premier League match versus Everton for Wednesday, April 14, the club strongly expressed a desire to move this reserve fixture to a date later in the season.

But owing to our progression in the FA Youth Cup and Fulham’s progression in the Europa League – on top of postponements due to bad weather earlier in the season – it has proved impossible to arrive at an alternative date acceptable to everyone concerned.

Playing the match at Hinckley United was another option which we explored but, unfortunately, the Greene King Stadium is not available.

The Premier League insisted that the fixture be fulfilled and extended special dispensation for it to be played at our training ground, a decision which the club has reluctantly accepted.

We recognise also that many supporters have followed the reserve team in action throughout the season and, in order to avoid anyone missing the action, the club will broadcast Monday’s game on our website at www.avfc.co.uk. Full details will follow.

And please join us on Thursday, April 15, at Villa Park for our reserve match versus Stoke City when, hopefully, we can celebrate becoming Reserve League South Champions again!