Effective date: 8 February 2026
Read Aston Villa is committed to producing accurate, responsible and useful journalism about Aston Villa.
Our editorial policy explains the standards applied to our news reporting, transfer coverage, analysis, opinion and match coverage.
Read Aston Villa is owned and operated by SumLou Limited and forms part of the D.Sport Media group of digital sports publications.
Read Aston Villa is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Aston Villa Football Club.
Editorial independence
Editorial decisions are made independently of advertising, sponsorships and other commercial relationships.
Our editors determine which stories to cover based on their relevance to Aston Villa supporters, the reliability of the available information and the significance of the development.
Commercial relationships do not determine our editorial opinions or require favourable coverage of a club, player, organisation or individual.
Sponsored or commercially produced material is clearly distinguished from normal editorial coverage.
Accuracy and verification
We aim to ensure factual information is accurate at the time of publication.
Before publishing, our editorial process may include:
- checking information against primary or authoritative sources;
- tracing reports back to their original source where possible;
- verifying names, figures, dates and quotations;
- distinguishing confirmed information from reported developments or speculation;
- providing appropriate context surrounding a story.
Football news can develop quickly. Information that was accurate when an article was published may subsequently change.
When there is a significant new development, we may update an existing article or publish new coverage reflecting the latest information.
Sources and attribution
Read Aston Villa regularly reports developments first revealed by other journalists and publications.
When doing so, we aim to identify and link directly to the original source of the information wherever reasonably possible, rather than attributing a claim solely to an aggregator or secondary account.
Sources may include:
- Aston Villa and other official club channels;
- governing bodies and competition organisers;
- established journalists and news organisations;
- direct interviews and press conferences;
- other credible primary or specialist sources.
We consider the reliability and proximity of a source to the information before deciding how strongly a claim should be presented.
Material originating from another publication should be clearly attributed.
Transfer news and rumours
Transfer reporting requires particular care because negotiations can change quickly and conflicting information is common.
Read Aston Villa aims to distinguish between different stages of a transfer story, including:
- reported interest;
- enquiries or discussions;
- negotiations;
- bids;
- agreements;
- medicals;
- completed transfers.
We do not consider every social-media rumour or repeated report to represent a meaningful new development.
Where possible, transfer claims are traced back to the journalist, publication or official source responsible for the original information.
Headlines should accurately reflect the strength and status of the information available at the time of publication.
Headlines
Headlines are written to clearly communicate the subject and most important development in an article.
We may use engaging language where appropriate, but headlines should not materially misrepresent the underlying story or present speculation as confirmed fact.
Important context should not be deliberately omitted where doing so would create a misleading impression.
News, analysis and opinion
Readers should be able to understand the nature of the content they are reading.
News reporting focuses primarily on factual developments and appropriately sourced information.
Analysis and features may interpret events, examine tactics, recruitment, squad development or other subjects in greater depth.
Opinion may contain the views and conclusions of individual writers. Opinions should still be based on accurate information and presented responsibly.
Quotations
Quotations should accurately represent what an individual said and should not be materially altered in a way that changes their meaning.
Where quotations originate from another interview, publication, broadcast, press conference or social-media post, we aim to provide appropriate attribution and, where possible, a link to the source.
Corrections and updates
We aim to correct material factual errors promptly once they have been identified and verified.
Minor spelling, grammar or formatting changes may be made without a correction notice.
Where a correction substantially changes the meaning of an article, further clarification may be provided where appropriate.
Readers can find additional information on our Corrections Policy page.
Responsible reporting
Our coverage concerns footballers, coaches, employees, supporters and other individuals who may sometimes be the subject of intense public scrutiny.
We aim to report responsibly and avoid unnecessary intrusion into private matters that have no legitimate relevance to the story.
Sensitive subjects require additional care, particularly where allegations, personal circumstances or potentially harmful information are involved.
Sponsored and commercial content
Read Aston Villa may publish sponsored or commercially supported content.
Such material should be clearly identified so readers can distinguish it from independent editorial coverage.
Advertising arrangements and commercial partnerships do not determine the conclusions of our independent journalism.
Further information about the publication’s ownership and commercial relationships is available on our Ownership and Transparency page.
Accountability
Responsibility for Read Aston Villa’s editorial output rests with its editors and writers.
We regularly review our editorial practices as publishing standards, technology and the football media environment evolve.
Questions about our coverage or editorial standards can be directed to us through the Contact Read Aston Villa page.
