Aston Villa boss Dean Smith reckons John Terry can help inspire promotion bid
Steve Bruce's replacement thinks retired defender's knowledge of club can help him hit the ground running
NEW Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has set his sights on promotion despite the club's struggles.
The Villans sit 15th in the championship table after managing just one win in ten league games.
But after replacing Steve Bruce, former Brentford boss Smith, 47, admitted he had high expectations.
He said: "The stats are not good at the moment, that's why I am sat here, but it's a realistic aim to get promoted this season. It has to be the aim.
"This is as even as I have seen this league. At the moment I do not see any team that is going to run away it and there's not an insurmountable gap between us and the top six."
John Terry - who spent last season at Villa - has been named as Smith's assistant as he begins his journey into management.
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And the Villans chief thinks having JT around will help him hit the ground running - starting with Swansea this weekend.
He added: "John's got a wealth of experience, we all know he's played at the top level of the game and he's always been interested in coaching.
"He knows the football club, he knows the players and he knows the expectations at the football club as well."
Chief executive Christian Purslow has vowed to back Smith in the market after a turbulent summer off the field at Villa Park.
He explained: "We now have a set-up that can build from the top down a truly excellent football club.
"You have to make excellent appointments to be successful and that is what we have done with getting Dean Smith in as head coach.
"It has been a very hectic 30 days in post but I think we are moving in the right direction.
"We have a clean balance sheet and we therefore have a strong financial and management base.
"It changes nothing - we are determined to back our new management team in improving this squad."