Birmingham City assistant boss Eric Black has hailed the impact made by captain Liam Ridgewell since his arrival from Aston Villa.

Steve Bruce's number two Black said: "Liam came here from Villa and he had a lot of weight on his shoulders having coming in from across the city.

"But, from the minute I met him prior to signing, I didn't have any doubt that he would be able to cope with that. You could see he was a strong enough character.

"He is a young lad but he has a lot of Premier League experience for someone so young, has a fabulous mentality and he integrated himself immediately in the squad.

"He has shown those leadership qualities that the manager looked at - and he gave him the armband. He has been a fantastic acquisition for us and I am sure he will get better."

Black added: "The fans have taken to him and will do that when they know a player is prepared to give everything for them and the team - regardless of where he has been before.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve. You can see he is committed and he wants to do well - and he wants to do well for Birmingham City."