Aston Villa defender Nathan Baker enjoyed his loan at Millwall last season.

The youngster hopes to make his mark at Villa this term.

"I was at Millwall earlier last season and that helped a lot because I had stepped up to play Championship football which is a great place to learn and develop your game," he told the Birmingham Mail.

"Everyone there was great and it was a massive benefit to be able to go there and play at that standard pretty much week-in, week-out.

"I noticed the step-up from what I had played at reserve team and the academy sides.

"It's a great feeling to be stepping out in front of a crowd at 3pm on a Saturday in a competitive game where there are league points on the line.

"Part of it as a young footballer is living away from home and that helps you mature as a person. I was obviously down there with Shane Lowry so it helped having someone else there who I knew so it was useful from a settling in perspective."