Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott denies he quit Everton in August for money.

The England defender's £24million switch to City from Everton last summer was viewed as a classic case of the cash-rich Eastlands club showing a complete lack of class.

But Lescott told the Sunday Mirror: "It really bugs all the players here when people say we only came to City for the money.

"Obviously, the money we get here is great.

"We have nice houses and nice cars and enjoy a good standard of living.

"But first and foremost, all the players here have a burning ambition to win trophies for this club. At the start of the season people wanted a different team to break into the top four because the Premier League had become predicable.

"Then, halfway through the season, it seemed that people wanted us to fail.

"It was something we learned to live with and it is something we will have to deal with in the future.

"We haven't made the top four this year - and you must give Spurs a lot of credit for achieving that ahead of us - but you can be sure that over the next few years the aim will be to shut up the critics who think we only joined City for the money."