After more than seven years at Madejski Stadium, Nicky Shorey admits Reading will always be a part of him

The left back signed a three-year deal with Aston Villa on Thursday, with the clubs agreeing an undisclosed fee.

The 27-year-old told avfc.co.uk that it was not easy to move on to pastures new, commenting, "It was a tough decision for me to leave Reading after such a long time. Being there for the length of time I was there, the club's part of me and I was like part of the furniture.

"I didn't want to look back after I retired and think I had the chance of a move to experience something else and I didn't take it. Hopefully the Reading people can understand that.

"The gaffer at Reading was always good to me and I've got a lot of respect for him. He had to look after the club's best interests but he never ruled me out of his plans once I said I was looking to move on.

"I didn't want to leave Reading just because we went down - it had nothing to do with that. I talked to the gaffer on numerous occasions before that.

"I made it known that I was looking to move on and the gaffer was fine. So I don't want people thinking I've just sort of jumped ship.

"Relegation had nothing to do with my thinking. This is something that's been on my mind for a long time now."