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It is now almost five months since Newcastle United, Norwich City and Aston Villa last played a Premier League match.

Instead, these three relegated clubs - two of who are arguably among the ‘biggest’ in the country as far as fanbase and history go - have been forced to get used to life in the Championship.

All three are determined to return to the top flight as soon as possible but, intriguingly, each club has adopted extremely different methods in an attempt to achieve their goals.

After 11 games of the second-tier season, we are starting to get a clearer picture of how the three sides relegated from the Premier League have acclimatised to their new surroundings given their alternative strategies.

Here’s an in-depth analysis of the three radically differing approaches adopted by Villa, Norwich and Newcastle respectively following relegation:

MANAGEMENT/OWNERSHIP

Aston Villa

Dr Tony Xia’s summer takeover brought with it a sense of immense optimism following the Second City club’s appalling 2015/16 campaign, with the Chinese businessman suggesting that the Villans would even be targeting the Champions League within half-a-decade, but that positivity is yet to turn into anything material out on the pitch.

As deep-rooted as Newcastle’s problems were before Benitez began his overhaul, Villa’s remain systemic.

And 39-year-old Xia’s constant Twitter updates about Villa’s activities both on and off the field may be amusing - and, somewhat perversely, almost refreshing in one way - but they do not give the impression of a chairman who knows how to turnaround a failing football club’s fortunes.

Roberto di Matteo was a strange appointment in the first place in truth, and he has lost his job less than two months into the campaign.

Yes, he may have succeeded with Milton Keynes Dons and West Bromwich Albion in the past, but his Champions League win at Chelsea was a little fortuitous given his league results - though that is not to dilute the achievement - while his short spell at Schalke 04 was pretty disastrous.

Villa needed a steady manager to take control in order to offer stability and a route back to the top flight, someone very much in the Steve Bruce mould - who, ironically, is now the bookies’ favourite to replace Di Matteo.

Norwich City

Very much following the tried-and-tested Burnley methodology - which, before the Baggies stabilised themselves as a Premier League club a few years ago, used to be the ‘West Bromwich Albion yo-yo approach’ - the Canaries have been the most stable of the three relegated sides over the past few months.

It has very much been a case of continuity as far as Norwich are concerned.

Just like Burnley did when they were relegated after only a solitary season in the Premier League, the Canaries kept faith with the manager who took them up the previous season.

Alex Neil’s Championship record is exceptional - the Canaries rose from mid-table mediocrity to promotion via the play-offs as the second tier’s in-form side under the Scot’s tutelage during the 2014/15 campaign - and so Norwich saw no reason to change their manager.

Newcastle United

The Magpies’ model for tackling the season-long slog that is the Championship - and for what they hope will result in automatic promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking - was essentially to hand over the keys to the kingdom to Rafa Benitez.

Convincing the Spaniard to stay at St James’ Park was undoubtedly the best piece of business completed by a Championship club over the summer.

In order to do that, Newcastle had to essentially offer Benitez carte blanche as far as football operations go.

Unlike his predecessor Steve McClaren, whose official title was ‘head coach’, Benitez was given all the responsibilities of a traditional ‘manager’ - and more.

Benitez immediately demanded that the training ground be upgraded, the Academy improved - and, in truth, just about every aspect of the football club was altered in some way.

TRANSFER POLICY

Aston Villa

Much has been made of Newcastle’s summer spending spree, but when sales are taken into consideration, the Magpies actually made a profit.

Villa on the other hand parted with £49m to bring in new signings - including spending a Championship-record £15m on Jonathan Kodjia - but recouped just £16m, giving them a net spend of around £33m following relegation.

Interestingly, the Villans’ incoming transfer activity was actually pretty astute despite their owners’ eccentricities and the club’s continued on-pitch ills.

The signing of proven Championship goalscorer Ross McCormack was quite a coup, while the likes of Tommy Elphick, Mile Jedinak, Ritchie de Laet, Albert Adomah and James Chester are more-than-competent performers at second-tier level.

But a significant issue has been the deadwood they were unable to offload - with under-performing players such as Alan Hutton, Micah Richards and the disruptive Gabby Agbonlahor still on their books.

Joleon Lescott and Charles N’Zogbia were thankfully shown the exit door, but the departures of Idrissa Gueye and Scott Sinclair have proven costly.

So too was the loss of Ciaran Clark to Newcastle; not only had the Irishman been one of their best defenders over the past few seasons, but to sell to a club viewed as your potential promotion rivals sent out an alarming message to Villa supporters.

poll loading Which side has adapted best to life in the Championship? 500+ VOTES SO FAR Newcastle Norwich Aston Villa

Norwich City

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

They already had a ready-made Championship boss at the helm, so instead the East Anglia club just quietly went about their understated but shrewd transfer business over the summer while Newcastle and Villa underwent radical squad overhauls.

You see Neil has retained the vast majority of the Canaries squad who were relegated, with Nathan Redmond’s £11.5m departure to Southampton the only real big-name exit.

Norwich did manage to get Ricky van Wolfswinkel, whose spell at Carrow Road was nothing short of disastrous, off their wage bill too.

What’s more, the Canaries’ recruitment has been both relatively frugal, as well as canny.

Michael McGovern was brought in on a free transfer after an exceptional European Championships with Northern Ireland and has usurped John Ruddy as No 1, while Sergi Canos and Nelson Oliveira have been decent acquisitions.

Interestingly, Alex Pritchard - who, at £8m, was Norwich’s most-expensive summer signing - has barely featured so far this season, though the ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is still an exciting talent.

In all, Norwich signed just five players this summer - two of who were goalkeepers - and shipped out only six, highlighting the continuity in their squad.

The likes of Steven Whittaker, Martin Olsson, Graham Dorrans, Wes Hoolahan, Matt Jarvis, Jonny Howson, Robbie Brady, Timm Klose and Youssouf Mulumba all have Premier League experience and know each other well.

Even former Magpie Sebastien Bassong, who has had the ignominy of being relegated six times already in his career, is a good player at this level.

Keeping Steven Naismith on deadline day when Sunderland were sniffing around could yet prove to be a significant piece of business too.

Newcastle United

Perhaps most crucially, out went the previous Graham Carr-led recruitment model and in stepped Benitez to lead transfer dealings.

The 56-year-old made it a priority to ship out the ageing and under-performing players - with Steven Taylor, Papiss Cisse and the long-past-his-best Fabricio Coloccini all moved on.

Flops such as Emmanuel Riviere, Florian Thauvin and Henri Saivet were also farmed out on loan in order to ensure they did not prove to be disruptive influences around the training ground.

Most impressively, United recouped a staggering £62m for Moussa Sissoko (£30m), Georginio Wijnaldum (£25m) and Daryl Janmaat (£7m) - allowing Newcastle to end the summer in healthy profit, despite the fact they spent around £55m themselves.

Andros Townsend also left once his £13m buyout clause was activated, but the Magpies acted immediately to replace him - with Matt Ritchie arguably the buy of the summer in the second tier.

Alongside that coup, Newcastle also convinced Dwight Gayle, DeAndre Yedlin and Mo Diame to drop down a division.

Players of proven Championship quality were also brought in, with Grant Hanley, Daryl Murphy and Isaac Hayden among them.

By the close of the summer window, United’s squad was certainly more balanced - and arguably stronger all round - than the one which had been relegated.

Given the fact Newcastle made around £30m this summer, further reinforcements could yet be brought in come January too.

ON-FIELD PERFORMANCE

Aston Villa

The talented Jack Grealish is also one of the club’s prized assets and, though he can sparkle on the field, repeated off-field indiscretions are continuing to stunt his development and bring negative front-page headlines.

Out on the pitch, it has just not clicked for the Villans either. They have won just one in 11 Championship matches, drawing an agonising seven times - despite creating the third-highest number of chances in the division.

Given the attacking talent the club has at its disposal - you can add Rudy Gestede and Jordan Ayew to the names already mentioned - their woes in front of goal have been surprising.

It has ultimately cost Di Matteo his job too.

Norwich City

Seemingly, the Canaries’ decision to retain the majority of the same playing squad who were relegated has paid dividends out on the field.

Norwich have won seven of their opening 11 games, sit second in the table and are a point ahead of Newcastle - which could even have been as much as seven had the Magpies not launched that remarkable comeback last week.

Newcastle United

In terms of their on-field displays, back-to-back defeats to open the campaign proved alarming to a portion of the fanbase, but since then the Magpies have grown in stature.

Benitez’s primary focus over the summer was on shoring up a defence who shipped 65 goals last season, and he has certainly done that.

The Magpies have conceded just 10 goals in 11 league games and have kept five clean sheets - including four on the road.

Somewhat perversely, having recorded their first away victory in eight months at Bristol City, they have now become a far more accomplished side on the road than they are at St James’.

Benitez’s men have taken 22 points from 11 matches, have won seven times and are perfectly on course for the magic 90-point mark needed for promotion.

OVERALL VERDICT AND SEASON PROSPECTS

Aston Villa: ‘The big-spending-but-scattergun approach’

There is still time for Villa to turn things around this season, though whoever takes charge will have a massive job on their hands and will be unable to embark upon their on recruitment until January.

Norwich City: ‘The continuity approach’

Given the fact they have been there and done it before, and that they still have a top-flight squad, it would be a real surprise if the Canaries were not in the two automatic promotion places come May.

Newcastle United: ‘The radical-overhaul approach’

Newcastle are still a work in progress but, given that they are third in the table already and only look like improving further, Benitez’s radical changes appear set to reap rewards across the course of the campaign and promotion should be more-than attainable.