Former Aston Villa midfielder Craig Gardner is delighted with his first month at Birmingham City.

As Blues strive to become an established Premier League outfit capable of challenging in Europe, Gardner is desperate to be a major part of that movement.

Which is why he had no hesitation in signing a contract that will run to 2014 - taking him past his 27th birthday.

"I'm at my boyhood club, it's a big club, I'm only 23-years-old and I want to be here for the future," he insisted to Sunday Mercury.

"That's why I signed a four-and-a-half year contract without even thinking about it. I wanted to commit myself to this club and get the deal done as soon as possible. I was on to my agent every day saying: 'Is it done? Is it done?', and I had a fair few sleepless nights building up to the deal.

"Now it's done it's the start of something massive for me. It's only upwards for me now, I just want to get myself in that team and start scoring some goals for Blues."