Ambrose: I never wanted to leave Crystal Palace

by Daniel Jones

DARREN Ambrose insists Neil Warnock's Queens Park Rangers simply couldn't compete once it became clear there was a chance to remain at Crystal Palace.

Ambrose ended one of the most drawn out transfer sagas in the club's long history earlier this week as he signed a three year contract to remain at Selhurst Park.

The 26-year-old admits that he came within hours of moving to Loftus Road after just one year with the Eagles, but stressed it was a switch that he never wanted.

"I can't tell you how much it means to me to have finally agreed the deal to stay here," he said. "I was very close to leaving, I had been there and agreed terms and it was all set to go.

"But as soon as we got a sniff that the new owners may be coming in we pulled back. And thank God we did because now I'm doing what I wanted, staying at the club with a new three year deal.

"I have spoken to [Neil Warnock]. He understands the situation. He knows that he couldn't compete with any offer Palace made to me, despite what he might have said.

"I never wanted to leave. I'm settled here, my family and kids are happy here.

"Now I'm just looking forward to that Leicester game next week and repaying the fans for the support they have given me."

Palace's new captain Paddy McCarthy committed his long term future to the club last week and now Ambrose has followed suit.

Goalkeeper Julian Speroni and midfielder Neil Danns are two others that are in talks about extending their deals and Ambrose has been pestering his pals to commit.

"It's absolutely vital they stay," he said. "I've already been in their ears this week. I've been telling them to get it done, get it signed and sorted. I think we can have a really good year this season. We can be the Blackpool, we can get into the Premier League."

*For the full interview and all the latest Palace news see Friday's Croydon Advertiser