Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill was happy to hand Nigel Reo-Coker the captain's armband for their 5-1 thumping of Bolton Wanderers.

O'Neill had a training ground bust-up with Reo-Coker in September but the midfielder made his first start in the Barclays Premier League since then against Bolton on Saturday - and was instantly given the captain's armband.

O'Neill said: "I thought that Nigel should receive the armband. He's been captain before when Stilyan Petrov's missed out and when other people have. And I felt, if he's going into the side, he might as well burden himself with the extra responsibility as captain as well too and I thought he acquitted himself really well.

"I'm too old to start holding grudges now. Perhaps when I was at Nigel's age I probably would have done. But I'm too old and, for the benefit of the team, it's not that important. Nigel and myself had a bit of a spat. It's over and gone with. It was quite some time ago.

"So there isn't, as far as I am concerned, anything to take on into the future again. What will be will be like everything else but I just want players to come in here and give everything for this foot ball club and try and win games in this league because it's hard for us."