Sidwell: I’m a better player

Villa recruit Steve Sidwell insists he departed Chelsea a better player than the one who arrived there a year earlier – now his new employers can reap the rewards.

Sidwell got his first outing in a claret-and-blue shirt in Saturday’s defeat by FC Zurich, showing some promising touches in a 45-minute run-out.

Despite spending much of his season at Stamford Bridge on the sidelines, the former Reading man has no regrets over his move there, insisting he learned valuable lessons from the likes of Jose Mourinho, John Terry and Frank Lampard.

He said: “For all the frustrations at Chelsea, I’ve improved as a player. I said before I went to Chelsea that I’d rather go there and fail, than not go there and always wonder what might have been.

“Being with the players there and playing under the management and staff, I’ve learned so much and come on as a player.

“Hopefully I can bring that experience to Villa and improve even more.”