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Page last updated at 15:12 GMT, Monday, 18 October 2010 16:12 UK

Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell adapting to left-back role

Birmingham City defender Liam Ridgewell
Liam Ridgewell has now played 110 league games for Birmingham City

Birmingham City's Liam Ridgewell believes he has adapted well to his new role as a full-back over the past year.

Ridgewell, 26, had spent most of his career at centre-half until the signing of Roger Johnson and Scott Dann in July 2009 forced his switch to left-back.

But Ridgewell told BBC WM: "I'm enjoying it and as long as we're doing well I'm going to keep enjoying it.

"It's a position that I've adapted to and hopefully I'm showing people that I can play at left-back and centre-half."

The Londoner even points to the success of Joleon Lescott as an example of what can be achieved.

Lescott's form at left-back for Everton earned him an England call-up, from which point the Manchester City man has now gone on to win 11 caps, mostly at centre-half.

"Look at Joleon Lescott," said Ridgewell. "He got into the England side playing at centre-half and left-back, so that's what I'm aiming to do."

Ridgewell, signed by Steve Bruce for Birmingham from Aston Villa in August 2007, has not missed a league game in a year, since being drafted in by Alex McLeish for last season's trip to Arsenal.

But, after his return to the Emirates on Saturday, when Blues were beaten 2-1, Ridgewell left feeling aggrieved at the penalty decision which turned the game.

Blues were leading through Nikola Zigic's first-half strike, but a controversial penalty decision, given against Dann for a foul on Marouane Chamakh, allowed Arsenal back into the game.

"Players have got to stop trying to get these fouls," said Ridgewell. "But players are going to go down if they see a tackle there.

"It's one of those things that we feel harshly done by, but we just have to get on with it."



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see also
Arsenal 2-1 Birmingham
16 Oct 10 |  Premier League
Wenger accepts Wilshere dismissal
16 Oct 10 |  Arsenal
McLeish to be patient with Zigic
16 Aug 10 |  Birmingham
Ridgewell extends Birmingham stay
10 Jun 10 |  Birmingham


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