George Friend: Birmingham City defender extends contract

George Friend played 28 games in his first season with Birmingham

Birmingham City defender George Friend has signed an extended one-year deal that will keep him at the Championship club until the end of the 2023 season.

Friend, 33, joined from Middlesbrough last summer but Aitor Karanka was sacked as boss in March with the club three points clear of the bottom three.

The Spaniard's replacement Lee Bowyer guided Blues to safety and Friend said the new season will be a new start.

"The squad is coming together nicely," Friend told the club website.

"I see that every day in training. We've brought in some good players, and we've got a great mixture of experience and youth. There's definitely a feel-good factor at the club."

Thirteen players were released in the summer and chief executive Xuandong Ren also resigned, but Friend said the club are now more settled.

"I feel last season was strange and difficult for football and non-football reasons," he added. "I feel like it's another start for us.

"The way we finished the season strongly to survive but the objective is to make sure we're not just finishing the season in those circumstances. We have to have longevity and consistency this season.

"It's exciting to be part of it."