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Ellington Explains Himself

Last updated : 10 January 2007 By Danny Deeming
Nathan Ellington says he was left with little option but to hand in a transfer request at West Bromwich Albion. The Duke, as he is known, has had a written transfer request accepted by West Bromwich Albion. The 25-year-old wants to quit The Hawthorns and a move to his former club Wigan is high on his agenda. Ellington, though, is keen to stress that he has only made his request as a last resort. "I feel have been forced into this position to be honest," Ellington explains. Former employers Wigan Athletic have had a bid turned down, believed to be around £3 million - and that only adds to Ellington's frustration. "I already feel that they have set my price too high, they signed me when I was in top form, and yet despite the fact I have not been playing - the chairman deems my value to have gone up."
He adds: "On the one hand I have the manager who does not consider me good enough to start, but then the chairman feels my value has gone up - I just don't see how that can be the case. I feel for the sake of me and my family that I need to move on, but I want to emphasise this has nothing to do with money - hence why I have put the request in and means I waive my rights to certain things. The fans have been great and I would like to thank them for their support, but as I said I owe it to myself to move on as I don't see any sort of future for myself at West Brom."
Ellington admits a move back to The JJB Stadium is a major attraction. "As long as somebody believes in me, that is the main thing and I already know Paul Jewell is one of those people. I think I have played 90 minutes less than 15 times in the past two years or so, and that isn't good enough. When you are signed for £3million, you expect to be given a real chance - but I just don't feel as if I have ever had that. I am just hoping I will get the chance to make the fresh start my career needs."