Tim Sherwood has been named as the new manager of struggling Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

The West Midlands outfit sacked Paul Lambert on Wednesday after dropping into the relegation zone and the club's board have wasted little time in appointing the former Tottenham Hotspur head coach as the Scot's replacement.

Villa chief executive Tom Fox told the club's official website: "Randy [Lerner] and I are really pleased that Tim has decided to join the club.

"Tim had a fantastic career at Tottenham, not only in his brief spell as first-team manager but, just as importantly, in the role he played in developing young talent.

"We are determined to build a football operation with a long-term vision and a commitment to youth development. We strongly believe Tim has the qualities to get the best out of our current squad and help us build and develop for the future."

The 46-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at Villa Park.