Alex "Big Eck" McLeish has been announced as Birmingham's new manager after putting pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Birmingham are rated at 80s with Bodog to win the FA Cup.

The former Rangers man stood down from his position as Scotland boss this week shortly after the Scottish Football Association turned down Birmingham's advances to speak to him.

But we can confirm that he will now become Steve Bruce's successor at Birmingham after the former Manchester United centre half and skipper left to take the reins at Wigan.

Asssistant Roy Aitken, who was an intergral part of the McLeish backroom team will join his right hand man at St Andrews. Intriguingly, Aitken spent several years at Birmingham´s deadly rivals Aston Villa alongside David O´Leary.

McLeish said that the glamour of the Premier League and day-to-day club management was a key factor in his decision to come south of the border.

He said: "The Scotland campaign was over and I really thought long and hard about staying on. I knew of some interest in the Premier League and had a desire to get back to day-to-day football.

"I really enjoyed my time in the Scotland job, it was a good period for me which was not day to day but allowed me to rekindle my appetite for the club scene again.

"I've come to a club in great tradition in football with a fervent and fantastic fan base. I look forward to the challenge."

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