Birmingham City have signed Gary Gardner on a permanent basis after the midfielder enjoyed a successful loan spell with the club last season.

The 26-year-old played 40 times for Garry Monk's men as they managed to secure another season in the Championship despite a points deduction in March that had them looking over their shoulder.

And, they have moved to sign Gardner on a long-term deal, with the official site revealing that the player has signed a three-year contract after an undisclosed fee was agreed between the club and Aston Villa.

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Despite coming through the ranks at their bitter rivals, the announcement stressed how Gardner has always supporter Blues and he will no doubt be looking forward to pulling on the shirt again next season.

It's fair to say his arrival has also pleased the fans who recognise the job he did for the team in the previous campaign.

Here's some of the reaction from Twitter to his arrival...