Caretaker boss Eric Black has backed Aston Villa to recover from relegation.
Results over the weekend still left them with a mathematical chance of overhauling Norwich and climbing to 17th, but in reality everyone connected to the club is preparing for life in the Sky Bet Championship.
Villa's 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday - an eighth straight loss - left them 15 points behind the Canaries with 15 points left to play for, plus an inferior goal difference to Alex Neil's team.
It promises to be a pivotal summer at Villa, with the next managerial appointment surely one of the most important the club will ever make in their history, and Black believes things will turn around.
Black said: "I am sure this club will one day come back.
"It's going to be a mighty challenge, an enormous challenge. I went down once with Birmingham and we came straight back up.
"But, my goodness, it's a hard challenge. It's a huge turnaround at a club and it's a different division. It's a sombre mood, as you would imagine.
"It's been a difficult season for everyone concerned at the club. We're not relegated as yet but we're not far off."
Steve Cook and Josh King got the goals for the Cherries, despite Jordan Ayew's late consolation for Villa.
Victory meant Bournemouth are virtually safe having reached 41 points with five games left.
Callum Wilson also made his return following seven months out with a serious knee injury as an injury-time substitute.
"The manager called me in and asked me if I felt ready, and that was like asking a kid if they want sweets! I was raring to go, so I went straight home to get my stuff," the striker told the club's official site.
"I had a feeling I would get on. I kept seeing the clock run down and corners going on, the ball not going out of play, but then I got on with 90 seconds to play.
"It was a nice and very touching moment when I came on. The fans were brilliant to me before, during and after the game today - I really want to thank them all for that."
Source: PA
