Aston Villa are on the verge of appointing Eric Black as assistant boss

Eric Black will join Aston Villa as assistant manager on Tuesday, according to Sky sources.

The appointment has been made at the behest of Villa boss Remi Garde, rather than a move from the club's board.

Black spent five years playing in France when he left Aberdeen for Metz in 1986, and his ability to speak French will be an asset to Frenchman Garde with a number of French players in the Villa squad.

The 52-year-old Scot is a highly-experienced coach who started his coaching career at Celtic, where he went on to become assistant manager under Dr Jozef Venglos and John Barnes, before taking over at Motherwell in 2001.

He then had a spell in charge of Coventry and has worked for Birmingham, Sunderland, Blackburn and Wigan.

Black was working at Rotherham United as assistant manager to Neil Redfearn - he was appointed to the job in October after joining the Sky Bet Championship club as first-team coach last summer - but has left the Millers by mutual consent to take the Villa job.

He said: "I have really enjoyed working at Rotherham United and I have met and worked with some terrific individuals.

Black has 'enjoyed working' at Rotherham

"I didn't know Neil before he arrived but he was brilliant to me from day one. He is an exceptional coach, one of the best I have worked with, and with the support of the chairman and everyone else I am sure he will take the club forward."

Redfearn said: "Eric has had an opportunity that he felt he couldn't turn down and we fully appreciated that, so he goes with everyone's best wishes.

"We want to thank him for all his effort and hard work whilst with Rotherham United, and from a personal point of view I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him."

Villa, who are at the foot of the Premier League, have endured a miserable season, but earned a 0-0 draw with Midlands rivals West Brom on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run in the league to three games.