Aston Villa have confirmed that Stiliyan Petrov will remain the club's captain as he continues his recovery from acute leukaemia.
Petrov has been undergoing treatment for the illness since being diagnosed in March, causing him to miss the end of last season.
However, the Bulgarian still found the time to visit his teammates as they returned to pre-season training on his 33rd birthday, and manager Paul Lambert reiterated the club's intention to support the player.
"The main thing is Stiliyan being okay in his life. Football is a secondary thing and doesn't even come close to it. It's his life and that's the most important thing," Lambert told AVTV.
"I went to see him the day before Arsenal played Norwich and there was a bit of trepidation when I first went in because I didn't know what I would be walking in to. But when I saw him I thought he looked great. His wife was there and I was delighted for him.
"To see him coming back today was great. It will be great too that, God-willing, he will be totally OK. That's the most important thing. It is for everyone to see him about the place. The support of the fans is vital. Villa fans have done great by him and he'll certainly still need them and their support. There's no doubt about it. He is a young guy with a wife and two kids and my main concern is his health. He will need that support."
Petrov made 30 appearances for the Villans last season before being struck down by the illness.
Barney Corkhill
