Former Aston Villa defender Liam Ridgewell says he had no second thoughts when Birmingham City came in for him this summer.

He said: "It is Premier League football and that's what I have come to Birmingham for, to play regularly. I had no reservations about coming to Blues.

"If I play well for Birmingham it won't matter where I've come from. Players have moved clubs before. It's a big opportunity for me. I snapped it up.

"I was at Villa a long time but it's football sometimes. Players are a club 10 years or whatever and you move on sometimes and that's what I've done.

"I am looking at it as a chance to kick on in my career. I have played a fair amount of Premier League games already for someone who is only 22-23. I want to get more Premiership starts.

"I was linked with quite a lot of clubs in the summer and I had to deal with that but it's football and that's part of the territory.

"It's nice to be linked with a few clubs and seeing your talents are being spotted and it's great to be here."