The feel-good factor prematurely returned to Villa Park this week after Randy Lerner broke his silence and revealed his continued love for the club.
It was long overdue and helped restore the faith and belief that has been lacking among Villa fans so far this season.
For months, supporters have been desperate to hear their American billionaire owner outline plans for the future and last weekend that finally came.
But the excitement and upbeat mood for the future soon turned sour again after a no-show at White Hart Lane on Monday as Villa were easily beaten 2-0 by Tottenham.
Granted, Spurs look almost untouchable at present, but Villa were as poor as they have been all season.
Manager Alex McLeish tried to stifle the Tottenham attack but Harry Redknapp’s men were just too good.
On Sunday Villa are back on the road again for another tricky test at Swansea.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have been impressive at the Liberty Stadium so far in their first year in the Premier League – losing just once to champions Manchester United last week.
The Swans are quite similar to Spurs in the way they play but McLeish is expected to shuffle his pack as Villa search for a win.
With a tough set of fixtures looming in December, Sunday’s televised clash is a big opportunity to add to their current points tally.
McLeish’s honeymoon period is almost over, however, Lerner insists he will get better over time,
Speaking on the club’s website in a rare interview, Lerner recently revealed his views on the Villa boss.
“Paul [Faulkner, chief executive] and I felt that, above all, the club needed stability,” he said. “We needed a manager who would understand Villa and could bring credibility and experience to the dressing room and had chemistry with us and trust in our approach.
“We researched and debated and discussed probably two dozen odd managers from all over until we came to feel that, despite Alex’s last post, he met the criteria.
“Not only is he affable and optimistic, well-liked and certainly well-respected among peers and players alike, but he fit our plan.
“He fit our feeling that a modern manager needs to balance the hysterical urgency to win and win quickly with the equally crucial need to not squander the work of our academy.
“The fans protests raised the stakes but, if we are right in terms of the fundamentals, then over time Alex will do as he’s always done and that is make Villa better.
“What Paul and I knew was that he had the right ingredients. With some good luck, and his trademark hard work and commitment, we felt our chances would be good. We felt his strengths simply outweighed any concerns.
“When you spend time with Alex, a lot of the sensitivities go away very quickly. Time with Alex is not only engaging, it is compelling. He’s pure football. That, in the end, is what you want.
“I think Alex feels that we have some promising young players coming through and yet we also know that on this level there is no substitute for experience.
“Taken together, I’d say that we are focused on running Villa well and fighting to be in position, ultimately, to get back into Europe.
“If we can get that to happen, I’d expect that more will follow.”
