Davies happy with Villa switch May 06 2008
Curtis Davies insists he has no regrets about quitting West Brom despite Tony Mowbray's side regaining their league status.
Central defender Davies will join Aston Villa on a permanent basis in a £8million deal in the summer after an initial season on loan from the Baggies.
He is full of praise for the way Albion have won promotion despite losing the likes of himself, Jason Koumas, Diomansy Kamara and Paul McShane.
But Davies is happy with the way his career has progressed at Villa and with winning an England call-up from Fabio Capello before suffering his ruptured Achilles against Arsenal in early March.
Davies told PA Sport: "I've got no regrets about leaving West Brom. My reasons for leaving were to play Premier League football and to push on and to try and get into the England squad.
"I've done that, albeit in a limited number of Premier League games so far, but from those limited games I managed to get into the England squad of 30 for the match with Switzerland.
"I am not surprised Albion have come back up. Last year we had all the football and flair players whereas this year a few more are playing as a team and that's a big part in why they have got up.
"They have also got the depth this season, a 30-man squad, whereas last year if a few dropped out, it was a back to basics. I am happy for them to go up and next season it will be interesting to see how they get on.
"It has turned out well for both sides. I hope they don't regret me going because at the end of the day, come the summer they will get a good fee for me and they are in the Premier League anyway.
"They can use the fee from me to buy more players and it is more praise to Tony Mowbray for going up without the likes of me, Kamara, McShane and Koumas. He deserves that extra pat on the back, I guess.
"The main thing for me is I'm at the club where I want to be and I just need to concentrate on my football and press on."
Davies admits he is unsure what reception to expect from Albion fans next season after being booed in a pre-season friendly before making the move to Villa.
He said: "I was booed in the friendly, that is expected. The way things are portrayed to fans are different to what the reality is.
"It was one of those things. I'll get over it. I know they were booing me at the start of the friendly game but they tried to clap me off the pitch. It shows fans can change their minds very quickly."
Davies was speaking after being unveiled as an official ambassador for Grass Roots Football LIVE, which takes place from May 30 to June 1 at the NEC, Birmingham.
Davies himself played park football in London after he was released as a teenager by Wimbledon before finding fame with Luton, West Brom and now Villa.
Davies will be the official ambassador for the Academy Experience, run in association with The Premier League and The Football League.
This is where young players will be put through their paces in a 15-minute training session run by Pro Club Academy coaches.
Davies will join a list of leading ambassadors for the three-day event which also includes Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, former England manager Graham Taylor, Trevor Francis, Ray Wilkins and Tony Cottee.