“I wish I had never gone to Birmingham; I regret joining.” “I desired to remain at Portsmouth,” said Erik Huseklepp.

While on loan at St Andrew’s, the Norwegian scored twice in 11 games. Erik Huseklepp expressed his “regret” at having to leave Fratton Park to join Birmingham.

The well-liked Norwegian forward was shipped off to their Championship opponents on loan in February 2012 for the duration of the season, when the Blues found themselves in financial difficulties and entered administration.

Cash-strapped Pompey earned loan fees when team-mates Liam Lawrence (Cardiff) and Hayden Mullins (Reading) left under identical circumstances.

Huseklepp then scored in his first-ever Birmingham game, a 2-2 draw with Derby, but he only made four starts for the St Andrew’s team.

He admitted he wished he had never gone to the Midlands, where he spent a miserable time and only managed to score twice in 11 games.

“I regret leaving for Birmingham; I would have performed better had I stayed at Pompey,” he said to The News.

“I didn’t want to go there, but it was easier for me to leave when Michael Appleton, the manager, told me to.”

I genuinely thought the manager would respond, “But I want you to stay,” after I went into his office and he informed me Birmingham wanted me on loan. If given the opportunity, I would have remained at Pompey.

I left Appleton because things didn’t work out in Birmingham. I managed to score twice and had some decent games, but I never quite found my Pompey-like rhythm.