Stephen Ireland is ready to repair his shattered confidence with Villa after ending his Manchester City nightmare.

The midfielder was frozen out before being bombed out at Eastlands as part of the £26m deal which took James Milner to Manchester this week.

He is ready to celebrate his 24th birthday tomorrow by making his Villa debut at Newcastle and finally end one of the most turbulent chapters of his career.

After revelling under former City boss Mark Hughes he was reviled by current Eastlands chief Roberto Mancini.

The Italian criticised Ireland’s attitude and the midfielder claims he felt ignored in the last months of his City career.

But, 24 hours before two personal milestones, Ireland is ready to rebuild his confidence.

“It is heartbreaking the way it all finished at City.

“For me, after the last year it has been easy to let go.

“If it had been a year or two earlier, it would have been a lot harder,” he said.

“I don’t think loyalty is much to many people at City any more, the people who I grew up playing with and being coached by have gone and there are lots of faces who do not feel that much for Manchester City.

“My confidence has been a bit hit but I think it can easily come back and Sunday could be a good game for that.

“I haven’t played 90 minutes for a long time. I’ve forgotten what it feels like to win or lose.

“I’m not really a very highly self-confident person.

“But can honestly say Manchester City have tried to replace me for the last three or four season and it’s never happened.

“I was hoping to kick on. I went from being player of the year and playing 67 games to playing 16.

“I’m 23 now and needed to kick on and contribute more.

“I wanted to build and improve my reputation as a Premier League footballer and it was going well until the changes at the club.

“I can easily say I’ve got if not more ability as much ability as any player City have signed this year.

“And that’s a benefit to Aston Villa now so hopefully I can show that for them.”

Ireland rose through the ranks at City to make 176 appearances and was voted their player of the season in 2008-09.

But he was desperate to leave following his torrid him under Mancini and even Martin O’Neill’s resignation earlier this month didn’t put him off Villa.

He said: “I did a lot of research on the club before I came.

“I spoke to Darius Vassell, Richard Dunne and Gareth Barry and they all spoke highly of the club.

“I think it’s a family club and one that will get the best out of me.

“I am actually shocked at how good it is.

“I’ve settled in so well, so fast. Even the young lads are so polite. I’m actually quite shocked with that.

“At City they’re not like that.

“They’re coming in with £10,000 watches on their wrists and walking around as if they have played 200 Premier League games.

“I can really see myself having a good time here.”