Leaving Liverpool pays off for Blackburn Rovers' Stephen Warnock

12:54pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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STEPHEN Warnock is celebrating penning a new four-year contract after Blackburn Rovers decided to reward him for his excellent progress over the last 16 months.

The 26-year-old full-back took a big gamble when he decided to leave Liverpool for Rovers in January last year, but the move has since paid handsome dividends, culminating in the signing of a new deal.

Warnock said: "It's fantastic. I think the club offering me a new deal is reward for what I've been doing and, obviously, I've been doing something right.

"It is a massive thing to be offered a new contract and when you see how the club is progressing, and how things are going, then you want to be part of that, and things are going well so I can't really argue."

Warnock has been a virtual ever-present in the Rovers first team since he arrived from Anfield, clocking up 64 appearances in all competitions, which is only two less than he mustered in five years with Liverpool.

And the tough-tackling defender, who still harbours ambitions of playing for England, is clearly relishing being a key member of a top-half Premier League team.

He added: "When I was at Liverpool, I was in and out of the squad, and in and out of the team, and it was hard to take because you think you are good enough to play.

"But since coming here the manager has given me a great opportunity, and I'd like to think I've taken it."