Jonathan Grounds: Birmingham City defender signs new deal with Championship club

Jonathan Grounds has scored five times in 165 games since being signed by then Blues boss Lee Clark from Oldham Athletic in 2014

Birmingham left-back Jonathan Grounds has signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal with the Championship club.

Grounds, 29, who arrived on a free transfer from Oldham in June 2014, becomes the second Blues player to sign a new deal in 24 hours, following the lead of midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld.

Both are now signed at St Andrew's until the end of the 2019-20 season.

"Jonathan Grounds is a bit of an unsung hero. He's an intelligent footballer," said Blues boss Steve Cotterill.

Yorkshireman Grounds, who began his career at hometown club Middlesbrough, was on an existing contract which was due to expire this summer.

Cotterill's Blues remain in the Championship relegation zone, where they have been since 2 December - now two points adrift of safety.