The 2011-12 campaign delivered a tense, dramatic fight for survival for Aston Villa as The Villans finished a nervy 16th in the Premier League, narrowly escaping relegation by just two points. Leading the line was the prolific forward Darren Bent, whose 9 goals were a crucial lifeline in a season marred by a club-record low points total and the emotional backdrop of captain Stiliyan Petrov's acute leukaemia diagnosis. It was a turbulent year that saw manager Alex McLeish sacked and marked the continuation of a difficult new era for the club.