Who has had the tougher season: Birmingham City or Aston Villa?

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The West Midlands giants have both had a poor season, but who has had it harder, Birmingham City or Aston Villa fans?

At the start of the season, Birmingham City and Aston Villa fans would have both probably struck you as a confident bunch.

After season on season of improvement for the Blues under Gary Rowett, Birmingham were slowly but surely going places.

Villa on the other had spent millions, and looked to have armed Robert Di Matteo with one of the strongest squads in the Championship.

But things did not go well for the Italian, and after a poor run of form, the former Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion boss was out the door, soon replaced by former Birmingham City boss Steve Bruce.

It was turbulent times at Villa Park, but it would be Birmingham who were to deliver one of the biggest shocks of the Championship season so far.

Despite guiding the team to within goal-difference of the Championship play-offs, Birmingham City’s new owners made the choice to split with Rowett on 14 December, with the Blues in seventh place.

The sacking, along with the appointment of former Watford and West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola, left Birmingham fans, pundits and football journalists alike in a state of shock.

The next few months would not help City fans cheer up. Slumping down the table in dramatic fashion, Birmingham now sit 14th in the table, 18 points off the play-off places. A crazy disruption to what had been an otherwise successful season so far.

But have they had it worse than Villa? During Steve Bruce’s last 13 games, Villa have picked up only 11 points, only scoring nine goals.

Considering the quality of attacking players they have, and the amount of money they have spent this season both in the summer and in January; Villa should simply be doing a lot better.

With both West Midlands giants being subject to disappointing season, both sets of fans have reason to feel aggrieved this year.

But who will finish higher? And are these sides right to be keeping an eye on the possibility of a relegation battle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.