Aston Villa’s published accounts for the year ended 31st May 2023 show that the Club has made significant progress against their stated focus of consolidation and improvement.
Following a change of sporting leadership in October 2022, the performance of the first team improved dramatically and resulted in a 7th placed finish in the Premier League. This represents our best performance since 2009/10 and ensured that European football returned to Villa Park for the first time in over a decade.
That upward trajectory has continued into the 2023/24 campaign, with the team currently occupying a Champions League qualifying position in the Premier League, while there is also knock-out stage football to look forward to in the UEFA Europa Conference League having topped the group during the initial phase of the competition.
This on-field performance improvement has been supported by continued focus on delivery of our long-term strategic plan to enhance the playing squad in a sustainable fashion. During this financial year, the Club has invested a further £63.7m in the acquisition of new players whilst also generating a profit of over £22m from player sales. This investment is part of the reason why employee wage costs rose to £194.2m (up from £137m) although there were also increases in central support functions to support the growth of the Club which resulted in a 9% increase in overall employee numbers. The amortisation of player contracts also increased by £10m to £92.5m reflecting the increased investment in playing staff.
Aston Villa Women also enjoyed a memorable campaign in 2022/23, recording their highest-ever league finish in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-final of the Women’s FA Cup. There was also individual recognition for Rachel Daly, who was awarded the WSL Golden Boot for her 22 league goals last season.
The Club are delighted that Villa Park has been confirmed as a host venue for Euro 2028 and as such we have continued to invest in our infrastructure, with capital investment almost doubling at £13.4m (£7.1m last year). Whilst we continue to seek opportunities to increase the capacity of the stadium, we recognise that this must be done in tandem with improvements to the local transport network. We continue to work with local authorities to find appropriate solutions that will allow fans safe, efficient and affordable access to and from games.
We are also endeavouring to enhance the match day experience for our fans by improving existing facilities across the stadium and its footprint, creating new hospitality offerings and integrating new sponsorship assets. These enhanced experiences are a key part of our commercial strategy to increase revenue and improve the long-term financial strength of the Club.
At Brookvale, in the shadow of Villa Park, the Club opened its new inner-city academy for boys and girls which provides state-of-the-art facilities for the men’s and women’s Academies and the Foundation in the heart of the community in Aston.
Since it opened its doors for the first time in August 2023, the Foundation have recorded more than 20,000 visits while the Academy also host their Early Years Elite Programmes at the Brookvale site.
The Foundation has continued its sterling charitable and community-led work, not only delivering hundreds of sessions per week across a wide spectrum of initiatives and outreach programmes but also maintaining financial and networking support to communities and charities across Birmingham and the wider region.
Revenue increased during the year to £217.7m, up from £178.4m in the previous year. A significant part of this increase is driven by finishing 7th in the Premier League versus a 14th place finish in the prior year, but there were also improvements in gate receipts, sponsorship and commercial revenues.
The net result of these changes is that the Club has reported a loss for the year of £119.6m after tax. This compares with a small profit of £0.3m in the prior year. It is important to note that these figures are in line with the strategic business plan, and we continue to operate within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules. The owners of Aston Villa remain committed to the long-term and sustainable development of the Club, and we look forward to continued progress on the delivery of our strategic plan.
