ROGER Johnson says he does not blame Alex McLeish for swapping Birmingham City for Aston Villa – but says he could never have done the same.

The Wolves skipper is set for a hostile reception at Villa Park on Saturday following his time at Blues.

There were weeks of speculation that Johnson, Ben Foster and Scott Dann could all end up joining McLeish across the Second City.

But Johnson said: “Would I have gone? Can’t believe anyone would ask me that!

“No. I think there are boundaries. The fans have their differences. I enjoyed every minute at Birmingham. If Villa were the last club possible then I would have had a decision to make. But fortunately that didn’t come around and I’m happy with the club I’ve come to.

“I’ve come to another Midlands rival but this was all about staying in the Premier League.”

Johnson is far from daunted by the stick likely to come his way.

“It’s water off a duck’s back. I’ll be fine. I’ll go into this game as I normally would,” he said.

Johnson says he will shake McLeish’s hand.

“I’ll have a good chat with him,” he said. “It’s been difficult to speak with him because of what’s been going on with Birmingham and Aston Villa.

“Has he made the right decision? Yes because he’s in the Premier League but I’m not going to say he’s bettered himself because Birmingham are a massive club as well. There are no hard feeling there at all. He made his decision and that’s it.

“I don’t blame him, it’s his livelihood at the end of the day, he’s got a family and I don’t know what money he got offered. He saw that as a better option at the time and that’s why he made the decision.”

Johnson says he owes a debt to McLeish who picked him up from Cardiff City.

“Games make you a better player and the manager put his faith in me by signing me from the Championship which I’ll always thank him for.

"He brought me on as a player. Playing against the best players in the world means you learn quickly. He used good management with me.”

Johnson is now trying to repay Mick McCarthy’s faith.

“The gaffer sees something in me that’s going to take the team forwards.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

McCarthy says he was a praying mantis in trying to snare Johnson hours after Blues went down.

The Wolves boss said: “As the season ended, I phoned Alex McLeish and told him I was going to bid for Johnson just as they went down – that was a nice one for him! I was on the phone just before Match Of The Day on the Sunday night!

“I was a typical praying mantis. As soon as they went down I was on the phone but I knew he’d have done exactly the same thing to me in reverse.

“I was due to go away on a golfing holiday with him. He’s a great fella and a football pal of mine. But he didn’t go in the end of course.

“It was all kicking off so we ended up exchanging text messages. “

McCarthy says he could not have quit Wolves for Albion like McLeish did in moving to rivals Villa.

“I have to answer that question with a no. I’d get my house pelted!”