Aston Villa fullback Nicky Shorey admits his first season at Villa Park was "up and down".

He said: "My own season was ups and downs but not the way I would have wanted it to go.

"That's the way it goes in football, and in life sometimes, and you just try and take those experiences on board and try and make yourself stronger."

Shorey even appeared to show anger towards Villa manager Martin O'Neill when he was substituted in a game close to the end of the season with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

He said: "I am a footballer and I want to play football. That is the bottom line. I am not going to go into details (of the Fulham game).

"I want to play football for the full 90 minutes. That is the bottom line. I like it when I am playing. You ask any footballer and he doesn't like when he is not. That is the way it is."