West Brom's Darren Fletcher admits regrets over Manchester United departure

Fletcher was allowed to leave by Louis Van Gaal after slipping down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Fletcher told sports channel ESPN: "Do I have regrets about leaving United? Well, I wish I had listened to Louis van Gaal during the first three games and played the way he wanted me to play, rather than playing silly passes at 0-0 in an attempt to win the game!

"But seriously, I do look back with a little bit of regret because I actually thought I played really well for six months under David Moyes and Ryan Giggs."

But the Scot added: "But to be honest, I don't think I was ever in Van Gaal's plans in the first place. I probably surprised him in pre-season and that enabled me to stay when a lot of other players left, but ultimately, I couldn't stay and not play.

"It wasn't a case of me being patient, I just couldn't see a way of out it. I needed a new challenge.

"I was seen as a voice around the place, a good guy and all that, but I just felt that I had a lot more football in me and I wanted to get out and give myself a chance to play. It was nothing personal. I just felt the time was right to start a new challenge."

Fletcher returns to Old Trafford with Albion tomorrow and he admitted: "The first time I went back, I went out into the tunnel for the line-up and stood on the wrong side.... I had to be told that the away team was on the other side!"