Aston Villa have announced that defender Gary Gardner has joined fellow Championship side Birmingham City on a season-long loan.

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In a statement on the Aston Villa website, the club confirmed that the 26-year-old had joined fellow their local rivals on a one-year loan deal.

Gardner spent last season on loan at Barnsley, where he scored two goals in his 31 appearances in all competitions.

The former England Under-21 international came through the youth ranks at Aston Villa, with many believing he supports the Claret and Blue Army, making the move to Birmingham City a slightly controversial one.

Gary Gardner will join his brother, Craig, at St Andrews for this season, who is also on the books at Birmingham City.

Aston Villa is the only side that Gary Gardner has ever permanently been at, but has enjoyed loan spells at the likes of Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton and Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley, before making the move to St Andrews.

Here is how Aston Villa fans reacted to the news on Twitter.