Stoke City midfielder Stephen Ireland has taken aim at former club Aston Villa.
The 27-year-old spent four years at Villa before moving on loan to Stoke last September before making his move permanent in January.
The Potters host Villa today and Ireland barked to the Daily Star: "Villa took the p***. They treated me like a toy. I was cast on one side. They even took me to a field on my own to train. It was an absolute nightmare.
"There was just me and the fitness coach in a field. He used to take me three or four pitches away from the main group. He would warm-up the first-team, run me around for 30 minutes and then leave to go home.
"I don't feel I was given the chances. It's difficult not to feel hard done by. I can't do anything about the past. All I can do is influence the future and that's what I'm planning to do."
