ZAT Knight’s lifelong ambition to play for Aston Villa might have ended on a down note but the big centre half insists he has no regrets about his summer switch to the Reebok.

Choosing to leave Villa Park halfway through a four-year deal represented somewhat of an admission by the Solihull-born 28-year-old that his boyhood dream had ended.

Even in his final season in the Midlands, Knight, pictured, managed 27 appearances, but the unpredictability of life as a defender in Martin O’Neill’s squad saw him seek to join former Fulham team-mate Sean Davis in the North West, in a deal worth £4million.

And his decision would appear to have paid off, having been virtually ever-present under Gary Megson and Owen Coyle this season.

Now, as he prepares to face the club he supported from the Holte End as a youngster, Knight reveals he does not think he made the wrong decision in quitting the club last summer.

“I don’t live in regret,” he said. “Going to Villa was a dream of mine and I lived it — but now I have moved on.

“I don’t beat myself up about it. You could say it is stepping stones but that’s football. It isn’t something I look back on and wonder, what if?

“I did it for my own personal reasons.”

Knight’s first meeting with his former club did not run smoothly, as Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young ran riot in a 5-1 mauling back in November.

And, as one of a few former Villa players currently on the Whites books, he admits a measure of revenge would sit well.

“They battered us at their place, so hopefully we can get three points on Saturday and even things up for me a little bit,” he said. “There are a few of us in there who feel the same way.”

Villa are currently licking their wounds after a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Chelsea last Saturday that effectively ended their pursuit of a top-four place.

They also have an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on the horizon — leaving Knight to wonder what mental state O’Neill’s side will be in when they arrive at the Reebok.

“I think Villa are going to come to our place looking to rectify what happened to them against Chelsea,” he said.

“Knowing Martin O’Neill they will have been in first thing on Monday morning watching the video of every single goal in minute detail.

“It was a big defeat, which could work in two ways for us.

“They might look at the semi-final now and think it is their best chance of achieving something, and that fourth place is out of their reach.

“That might mean they rest players. But from our point of view, we have to try and bounce back and make sure things stay in our own hands.”

Meanwhile, Aston Villa yesterday denied newspaper reports claiming manager Martin O’Neill had quit the club.

Villa, who arrive at the Reebok on Saturday on the back of their heaviest-ever Premier League defeat, refused to comment officially on speculation that the 58-year-old had stepped down from his position after a row with owner, Randy Lerner.

Odds on O’Neill ending his four-year association with the club have tumbled over the last 48 hours, following the 7-1 drubbing against Chelsea which was described by the Irishman as “the worst result of my career”.

But the club insist he is in line to take charge of this weekend’s game against Wanderers, which comes seven days before they face an FA Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea.