Aston Villa are 15th in the table after a run of just three runs from their opening 12 games but Smith is confident that they can turn their fortunes around and win promotion this season.

"The stats are not good at the moment, that's why I am sat here, but it's a realistic aim to get promoted this season. It has to be the aim," he said.

"This is as even as I have seen this league. At the moment I do not see any team that is going to run away it and there's not an insurmountable gap between us and the top six."

Smith's tenure will begin with a home game against Swansea on Saturday.

It will be the first game since the death of former chairman Doug Ellis last week and Smith said his loss will be felt keenly by everyone.

"We all felt the loss of Doug. My dad used to show him to his seat," he said.

"There'll be a great atmosphere at the stadium and I'm very aware of how good their home record is.

"We want to make this a fortress and we want to make it a place that is hard for other clubs to come to."