Aston Villa cancel their Player of the Year awards

Aston Villa have scrapped their annual Player of the Year awards, as they prepare to face their first relegation since 1987.

The club - bottom of the Premier League since the start of November - could have their fate confirmed before Saturday’s game against Manchester United, if Norwich avoid defeat to Sunderland in the early kick-off.

The gruelling season - complete with off-pitch controversies involving Gabriel Agbonlahor and Joleon Lescott - has led to widescale protests against the owner Randy Lerner, with fans left further infuriated when Villa chose last week to launch a rebrand of the club badge.

A Villa statement said: “The club will not be holding its annual Player of the Year Awards at the conclusion of this season. In the current circumstances, we are sure our supporters will understand.”

Villa - currently looking for a new manager to replace Remi Garde, who left the club at the end of March - this week warned staff there will be job cuts following relegation, while more difficult headlines followed a 19-man brawl that broke out in the club’s Under-21s win over West Ham on Monday.

Guardian services