Aston Villa supporters are planning to begin a series of direct action against the club's board, with a 74th minute walkout in next Tuesday's home game against Everton.

Frustrated at what they consider to be poor running of the club in recent years, which the fans think has contributed to their seemingly inevitable relegation this season, they've planned the 'Out the door on 74' demonstrations, which are planned to take place in the next three home league games, against the Toffees, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea respectively. The 74th minute chosen, due to the club having been founded in 1874.

Protest towards the board, not about recent form

Many fans have been keen to state that the protest isn't simply in response to recent form, with Villa having only taken 16 points from their 26 league games so far, leaving them eight points from safety and virtually relegated in the eyes of many.

Things got even worse in the last home game, a 6-0 defeat to Liverpool, in which many fans left early without prior calls for a protest. Villa supporter Mark Bricknell, who came up with the idea, told Sky Sports that "it's not about recent results", adding that "it's not a knee jerk reaction to that", when asked if it had anything to do with the Liverpool hammering.

Daniel Sturridge scores the first of six Villa conceded against Liverpool (photo: Getty Images)
Daniel Sturridge scores the first of six Villa conceded against Liverpool (photo: Getty Images)

According to Bricknell, the protest is instead about the "culmination of six years of decline," with the Villa fan citing that "the club have been unable to halt what the fans have been able to see coming for a long time".

Liverpool fans may have started a new trend

Despite it not being in response to the performance Villa put in against Liverpool, the Merseyside club do have something to do with the walkout, as it's been done following the success of a fan walkout at Anfield in response to rising ticket prices. "It initially stemmed from the walkout the Liverpool fans did, and the positive impact it had on their club," Bricknell said.

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