Alan Hutton triggers Aston Villa contract extension clause
Defender Alan Hutton has triggered a clause in his contract which will keep him at Villa for another season.
The 32-year-old's deal had been due to expire at the end of the current campaign but the extension will keep him at Villa Park until the summer of 2018.
Hutton has experienced vastly fluctuating fortunes since joining Villa from Tottenham in 2011, at one stage being frozen out of the first-team squad for more than two years and told he had no future at the club by then boss Paul Lambert.
But he was recalled at the start of the 2014-15 campaign and signed a new three-year deal shortly afterward.
This season he has made 26 appearances and according to boss Steve Bruce is deserving of the extension.
"There's an automatic clause which kicks in which I'm delighted to see," said Bruce.
"He (Hutton) has seen off the challenge of many here.
"He's the first in every morning and trains as if it's his last. He keeps himself in great physical condition.
"He deserves his other year. I've got no problem with that. It's happy days for him."
