Aston Villa are beginning to rebuild in the Sky Bet Championship under Steve Bruce following their disastrous season in the Premier League.

The Villans were relegated with a pathetic 17 points last season, in a top-flight campaign which saw them win just three games and lose 27.

However, their first season in the second tier didn’t start according to plan either, as new boss Roberto Di Matteo lasted just two months before he lost his job, having overseen just one win in 11 league matches.

Bruce has since arrived and has steadied the ship at Villa Park, with his side currently sat 13th in the table, 11 points clear of danger and just six adrift of the play-off places.

Villa host Burton and Leeds before the New Year as Bruce looks to build a platform from which to develop in 2017, with the ultimate aim to get the club back into the Premier League sooner rather than later.

And, in what has been a turbulent time for Villa, we thought we’d take a look back and review their year, and have selected their top THREE goals of 2016…

Charles Gil vs Sunderland (January 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3s0NeBoMt0

Aston Villa fans didn’t have much to get excited about at the start of 2016, but Charles Gil’s sensational volley against Sunderland was something worth celebrating.

Remi Garde’s side were a goal down to their relegation rivals, but 18 minutes into the second half Gil got them back on level terms in brilliant fashion.

Adama Traore burst down the right-hand-side, before sending a teasing ball into the Sunderland box. It looked like it had too much on it for the arriving Gil, but he somehow got his left foot to the ball and guided a stunning volley past the helpless Vito Mannone.

Villa did go on to lose the game 3-1, but it was a rare moment of quality in a horrific season for the Midlands club.

Jordan Ayew vs Watford (April 30)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACvy4X58-pE

Villa were already relegated when they made the trip to Hertfordshire to take on a Watford side still harbouring ambitions of a top-half finish in the Premier League.

However, with the score at 1-1, Jordan Ayew’s powerful strike gave the visitors the lead just three minutes into the second half.

The Ghanaian international picked the ball up in the Watford half, produced a nice little one-two with Rudy Gestede, and then fired a low and fierce effort past Heurelho Gomes from 20 yards out.

Again though, a fine strike was undone by some woeful defending, as the Hornets hit back late on with a Troy Deeney brace to secure a 3-2 win.

Jonathan Kodjia vs Fulham (October 22)

Villa’s first season in the Championship didn’t get off to the best of starts, but things have slowly picked up of late under new boss Steve Bruce.

And one of the catalysts for their upturn in form was a stunning goal from Jonathan Kodjia against Fulham.

The game was deadlocked at 0-0 and looked set to end that way until ten minutes from time, when Albert Adomah pounced on the loose ball inside the Fulham half, and got to the top of the box before crossing towards Kodjia.

It was fractionally behind the Ivorian international, but he set his body to strike a superb acrobatic volley past David Button.

It was a fantastic effort worthy of winning any match.