CAPTAIN Stiliyan Petrov admits Villa owe it to the claret and blue faithful to prove this season was an unacceptable “one-off”.

Caretaker boss Gary McAllister told fans at Monday’s annual awards that Gerard Houllier’s team had not been good enough and there would be a “reaction” next term.

And Petrov agrees that Villa have let down their loyal supporters by tumbling from sixth in the league around a year ago to the bottom half of the Premier League table.

“We need to make sure it is only a one-off because the players and the quality we have got here has not lived up to expectation,” he admitted.

“We didn’t perform this season and we know it is up to us, nobody else. We’ve let the fans down and we will not run away from that fact. We have to make sure we are right for next season.

“The last three seasons we have been sixth. This season we did not show what we are capable of and next season will be a big one for us. We have to show it was just a one-off season.”

Petrov would welcome new faces to freshen up Villa’s dressing room, depending on Houllier’s future being resolved quickly with a prompt announcement.

“We don’t know about the manager’s situation,” he said.

“We will wait and see. He is getting better and we hope it will not be long before we see him again, but it is important that he puts his health first.

“It is nearly the end of the season. Hopefully we’ll see it through and then the people here will make a decision.

“Is there going to be additions? I think you need to ask the people who are going to be in charge that question.

“If I become a manager then I can tell you! But seriously it is nice to see new faces because every single team will try and strengthen.