BIG CLUBS COULD GO UNDER WARNS SMITH

DEAN SMITH believes Aston Villa’s plunge to the brink of liquidation showed that no club is too big to go under as he took pity on Bury’s plight.

Boyhood Villa fan Smith watched their 2018 play-off final loss to Fulham from afar as then Brentford boss.

The repercussions of defeat quickly became clear after former owner Dr Tony Xia’s reckless gamble on promotion backfired.

It leftVilla staring at administration, with HMRC knocking at their door because of unpaid taxes, before they were saved by a takeover package from Nassef Sawiris andWes Edens.

Smith then replaced Steve Bruce as Villa manager in October 2018 and led the club to promotion via Wembley. The former Walsall

Vplayer and coach, who takes his side to Crystal Palace today, said: “I had some good times and tough times going to Gigg Lane.

“It is a small club with a smaller fanbase but no less loving of their club than Villa fans are.

“It was scary for a club like Villa to potentially go into liquidation. “Fortunately the owners came in at the right time. But there are a lot of big clubs in the Championship who are pushing the boat out trying to get back into the Premier League.”