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John Terry is back in full training, Aston Villa have today confirmed.

The 37-year-old club captain has missed the last eight games with a broken foot and will also sit out of the weekend clash at Middlesbrough.

But he is now closing in on a recovery and could well be available for the home clash with Bristol City on New Year's Day.

Terry took to Instagram to post a picture of himself training with the caption: "First day back training with the team today."

And the club tweeted:

Villa have missed their skipper after failing to win five of the eight games he has missed.

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Dr Tony Xia has called for Aston Villa to end their ‘disaster month’ with victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

The claret and blues have fallen out of the Championship play-off places after a run of five games without a win.

Steve Bruce’s side’s latest wobble arrived at Brentford last night, as they lost at Griffin Park for the second successive season.

Furious supporters have inundated the owner with messages on Twitter to vent their anger and he has responded.

He tweeted: “A hectic work and business travel schedule month. Just recovering from one week serious flu. No(t) enough free time and most time inaccessible to Twitter. Hopefully it will also end the ‘disaster month’ with a win! Time to recovery!”

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Dean Smith was all smiles after getting one over on the team he supported as a boy for the second time this calendar year.

Brentford couldn’t match their 3-0 thumping of Aston Villa in January, but goals from Romaine Sawyers and Lasse Vibe ensured the 1,500 Villans who made the trip to West London endured a miserable evening.

And Smith, who comes from a Villa-supporting family and used to sweep the Holte End steps as a youngster, gave his family a little bit of breathing space after the Boxing Day bout.

“I’m not going back home tonight! I’m not going back to the Midlands anyway,” he joked.

Smith has previously spoken fondly of his Villa Park memories growing up in these parts and once sipped from the European Cup.

The Bees chief, formerly of Walsall, attended April’s Second City derby against Birmingham City at Villa Park as a fan, sitting in the Trinity Road Stand alongside his son.

Despite his allegiances, Smith continues to be a problem for Villa in the opposing dugout.

In four meetings against Villa as Brentford boss, Smith is undefeated.

“Aston Villa are a big football club and the expectations from their supporters are that they win the league,” Smith added. “Ours are to go and compete against these teams and finish in the top six if we can.

“Opposition supporters see us as little Brentford and some get shocked when they see the standard of our football.”

One Brentford player who thrives against Villa in particular is Vibe. The Denmark international took his tally to five in his last four matches and three in three against Villa with the winning goal last night.

“He likes scoring against Villa that’s for sure,” Smith said of his striker. “I’m really pleased for him.

“He worked hard up front on his own. It’s a tough game up there on your own in these conditions but he does what he does best which is putting the ball in the back of the net.”