Craig Gardner says Birmingham interest is only reason he would have left West Brom

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The midfielder returned to his former home on loan with a view to a permanent deal this week.

Returning Birmingham City star Craig Gardner has told the club’s official website that the Blues are the only club who could have tempted him to leave West Bromwich Albion.

Gardner returned to St. Andrew’s after nearly six years this week when he joined on a loan deal until the end of the season, which can be made permanent at the end of the season.

The 30-year-old, who began his career at City’s bitter rivals Aston Villa, was just 24 when he left the club in the summer of 2011 but returns as an experienced player.

It was a big decision to leave West Brom, for whom he had been a regular for the past two seasons.

However, despite playing just nine times for the top-half Premier League side this term, he revealed that a Blues return is the only reason he would have left Albion.

Gardner told the Birmingham City website: “It’s difficult to describe. Obviously leaving six years ago, and saying ‘I want to come back one day, I want to come back one day’ and then you come back to the Midlands, but it’s at West Brom and I was wishing it was Birmingham…

“I went to see the gaffer at West Brom, Tony Pulis, and said there’s no way I wanted to leave unless Birmingham City came in for me. There were Premier League clubs interested in taking me on loan until the end of the season but I wasn’t interested.

“This was the only move I wanted. I could have stayed at West Brom for the next 18 months, but I wanted this move and it’s happened. Personally, I think this move now is better for me, and I am more excited about this move now than when I joined the first time because I feel I owe the club something.”

Gardner starred for Blues in his previous spell at the club after making the switch from Villa, quickly establishing himself as a favourite son at St. Andrew’s.

Though he only stayed for 18 months, he scored 11 goals in 52 appearances in all competitions, including two in the EFL Cup run that ended with the club lifting the trophy in 2011.