“Looking back, football finance expert Dr Rob Wilson knew exactly what he was talking about. ‘This is last roll of the dice sort of stuff,’ he told BBC Sport before the 2019 Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Derby County. ‘It’s winner takes all and loser loses pretty much everything.’ Villa won that day at Wembley. Three years on, they spent pre-season on tour in Australia, preparing for a new Premier League campaign with Brazil star Philippe Coutinho in their ranks. Derby have just begun their first third-tier campaign since 1986, and only the fifth in their history, after local businessman and lifelong supporter David Clowes stepped in to save the club. …”
BBC