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" I just got back off holiday from the Maldives, so I got back in and had an answerphone message from the manager of Carlisle (John Ward). I couldn't believe it to be honest, so I rang him straight back and then it just went on from there really. I was offered more money to stay at Bournemouth, the manager (John Bond) knew that I was leaving, he rang me actually when I was coming up to Carlisle last week. Then he rang me yesterday as well, he was trying to make me stay and trying to offer me more money, but for me it wasn't about money it was about football. I told him that and it was the right decision for me.
" It is a bit of a trek from Bournemouth, Carlisle is a great club though. Obviously we came up from Bournemouth at the end of the season and it wasn't a good day for us. Just the atmosphere at Carlisle, and just the team itself, I spoke to Scott Dobie last week about the team and about what they wanted to do and it's just a great place. I've come in last week and there is just a buzz about the place, I just can't wait to join.
" Without a doubt John Ward was a factor, he's a straight guy and he's an honest guy. When I was at West Brom my coach was Richard O'Kelly, he is now at Doncaster, and I spoke to him at length about John Ward and he just said what he a great guy he was. I spoke to him on the phone, it was just nice because a lot of the clubs that have shown interest in me, other people from the club have rung and I haven't ever spoken to the manager. So for John to ring me was great, we just clicked together and it's just gone on from there really, I'm just really happy that I signed.
" I was at West Brom from when I was about 14. I left when I was 19 which was obviously a bit heart-breaking for me because I came through the ranks and it looked like I was going to feature in the first team when I got a bit older. A change of management though, Gary Megson came in and didn't really look at any of the youngsters so obviously I left which was a bit devastating. "
" Then it was lucky because one of the board members at West Brom, he owned a club out in Denmark (Herfolge) so I went out there on trial and I just signed. I was there for the two years, then with the West Brom connection again, Richard O'Kelly was the assistant at Bournemouth and he just got me down when I came back. Then I've just been playing for Bournemouth ever since.
" It's a weird one obviously signing for Carlisle because I did say that maybe I would looking for a move closer to home because I have been away for so long. When a club like Carlisle comes in for you though then you have got to go, at the end of the day I am a footballer and the distance shouldn't make a difference. If you are a footballer then you just want to do your best and I'll hopefully do my best at Carlisle.
" My bad injury was at Brentford, I think it was my 15th game into my first season, about 15 seconds into the game actually, I just ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament. That was not a nice thing to do, so I was out for ten months, I think that Joe Garner has done the same. It's not a nice injury but at the same time it's not an injury how it used to be.
" Ten years or so ago it was a career threatening injury, you were lucky to play again. The way technology is nowadays though, I was out ten months, I went to Lilleshall and had some great one-on-one treatment with the physiotherapists down there, then I got back. So it doesn't cause me any problems at all now.
" I must admit that we got absolutely battered by Barrow last season, to be honest we went up there and they battered us there as well. It went to extra-time at Bournemouth and we were lucky to get through the game, I don't know how we got through that game because for a team like that to come to a League One side and put on a performance like that was amazing. Credit to them, they were actually a good team, because obviously we were a League One team and down where they were we just assumed we would walk over them. It didn't turn out that way though and they absolutely battered us. "
" Bournemouth are struggling to be honest, the club hopefully has been taken over by the new chairman Jeff Mostyn. Everything has been going on at the club, we weren't getting paid properly for a long time and they didn't really know what was going on. It's a bit of a mess down there to be honest so hopefully they'll bounce back. Obviously I've been down there for three years and I would like to see them bounce back, but to be honest I don't know what is going to happen to them.
" Relegation last season was the worst day of my career, isn't it ironic how Carlisle sent us down and then I'll be playing for them. It was horrible, nobody wants to go through relegation, we had such a great run and then to fall at the last hurdle was just devastating. We went into the Carlisle game and everyone thought we were going to do it, and then for that to happen.
" Cheltenham to beat Doncaster you just wouldn't expect it on the last game of the season when they are looking to get automatic promotion. It was in our hands and we fell at the last hurdle, but at the end of the day we had ourselves to blame because we had such a poor season. I think that we deserved to go down.
" I'm quite pacy I suppose a lot of people tell me and I'm quite good at reading the game. I know that I'm not the finished article so I know that I have got a lot more to learn, and that is one of the reasons why I wanted to team up with John because I think that he can teach me a lot. I've just got a willingness to learn really.
" I've been called Rio (after Rio Ferdinand) since I was 13 and I hated it then and I still hate it now. I will be back for pre-season training soon, I'm just trying to sort all my stuff out now, I'm in Bournemouth now just trying to get everything together to move up to Carlisle. I think we start back on the 3rd of July so I've got to speak to the assistant manager at Carlisle (Greg Abbott). Then we're going to sort something out because I still haven't got anywhere to live yet, I might have to get a caravan and park it outside the ground. "