Joe Hart admits he would have re-signed for Birmingham City

May 12 2010 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

JOE Hart today admitted he would have been happy to return to Birmingham City next season – but Manchester City were having none of it.

And Hart tipped likely successor Ben Foster to follow his lead and be a success between the posts.

Hart was voted player of the season by Blues’ supporters after a fine campaign that has got him into England’s provisional World Cup squad.

But he preferred to share the credit around rather than bask in personal glory.

Blues wanted Hart again on loan, or permanently, but Shay Given’s shoulder injury made up Manchester’s mind.

“We were all waiting for a decision, nobody really knew what was going on and people were asking me,” said Hart. “I knew as much as the next man and what I read in the papers.

“I just waited for my orders and my orders were that I went back. I am contracted to Man City so that’s where I will be.

“I will admit, it’s sad. But it was out of my hands. If I could have stayed, I would, but it wasn’t down to me.

“I have made a lot of good friends at Birmingham. Players, staff. It’s hard. I’ve never really left anything like this before, in this way.

“I didn’t really want to leave. But I was told that I have to. It’s just the way football is and hopefully I have got some good relationships to come back to when I play Birmingham down the line.”

Blues have lined up Manchester United’s Foster for a £6 million transfer and Hart gave his approval.

He has quite an act to follow. “I think he will do it easily,” Hart told the Birmingham Mail.