Nicky Shorey glad to be out of Villa

New-boy Nicky Shorey today prepared to get his Premier League career back on track after thanking Albion for ending his Villa nightmare.

The full-back, who is primed to make his Baggies debut at Chelsea tomorrow, refused to start a war of words with Martin O'Neill despite being frozen out at Villa by the Northern Irishman.

But Shorey admitted the frustrations of his 24 league games in two years at Villa Park and is relishing a "fair crack of the whip" at the Hawthorns.

He said: "I just wanted to enjoy my football. I want to be somewhere where I'm not necessarily going to play every week, but where I've got a chance of playing every week.

"All I am looking for is a fair crack of the whip."

Shorey left Villa for Albion in a £1million deal on Monday - the same day O'Neill stunned his former club by quitting as manager.

The former Villa boss put Shorey up for sale in the summer after freezing him out of his first-team plans.

But Shorey stopped short of slamming O'Neill, following the criticism of former Baggies captain and current Villa defender Curtis Davies.

He said: "People have seen a few interviews from players at the club and I think it says it all that they have said what they think.

"But I want to put that behind me now and concentrate on West Brom.

"In football sometimes you just don't get on for whatever reason. I'm not referring to anyone specifically, but some of the players have done interviews and given their opinions.

"I would rather keep mine to myself. I don't want to go on about the past.

"Obviously I had high hopes when I went to Villa, but that's football. Sometimes it doesn't work out for whatever reason. I'm not bitter, you learn from these experiences and I am looking forward to playing for West Brom now.

"If one manager likes you and another manager doesn't, that's football. I always believe in my ability.

"I feel I can play at the highest level and hopefully I'll get a chance to show that now."