Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark has signed a new contract.

The reserve team skipper has penned a two-and-a-half year deal with Martin O'Neill's men.

Clark told AVTV: "I'm just really grateful and thankful for the contract and I'm just going to knuckle down now and work hard.

"I've been here since I was 12 and I know everyone around here now. I've got to know everyone well and I get on well with everyone. I hope I can push on and do well for Villa.

"Obviously you do well in the youth teams and reserve teams and if you get the call up it is good.

"When you are training with the likes of Ashley Young and defenders like Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar, it is a massive help and they help you through training sessions. It is a massive boost when you are training alongside them. They encourage you and if you make mistakes they keep your head up.

"If there's stuff that they can help you with they'll do that and obviously that helps you as a person and a player as well."