WADE Elliott believes his move away from Burnley came at the right time for him and the club, claiming a new era is unfolding at Turf Moor.

The 32-year-old signed a two-year deal at Birmingham City with only minutes to spare ahead of Wednesday’s transfer deadline, ending a six-year association with the Clarets.

He will be best remembered for his play-off final goal against Sheffield United in May 2009, which fired Burnley into the Premier League.

It’s an achievement he says he feels “still very humble by”, adding: “It’s a little bit of Burnley’s history that I own and something I will always be very proud of.”

Elliott describes failing to secure safety and a second successive top flight season as a regret.

But he believes manager Eddie Howe is the man to move the club forward and has backed his focus on youth.

“As much as it’s a new start for me, it’s a new era for the football club. Eddie’s putting his stamp on it, so when you put all the factors in it felt like the right time for me to move on,” said the winger, who was Howe’s team-mate at Bournemouth.

“There are a lot of young players now but it’s such a talented squad.

“I think Eddie will do a great job at the club.

“I think he is a really good fit for the place at the minute and I’m sure they will be successful.”

Elliott had stayed friends with Howe after leaving Dean Court for Turf Moor in 2006.

He refutes the idea that their relationship became difficult when the 33-year-old became his manager in January.

“That wasn’t really a factor,” he said.

“I got on very well with Eddie when we played together at Bournemouth and we stayed in contact when I came to Burnley.

“We had a conversation when he took over and the dynamic of the relationship has obviously changed.

“To say we put our friendship on ice wouldn’t be the right way to describe it, but the relationship we had previously had to be put to one side for the duration of the time that he was my manager.

“It was a player/manager relationship and we both understood that.

“We’ve still had a decent line of communication, but now I’ve moved on I would like to think we could pick up the relationship we had before.”

His move, he feels, is the best for all parties in terms of moving forward.

Elliott was contracted to the Clarets until the summer of 2013, after agreeing new terms under former boss Brian Laws.

But after initially learning of Birmingham’s interest on Tuesday, he said it wasn’t really an option to stay after Blue boss Chris Hughton followed up their enquiry with a firm offer on Wednesday.

“You weigh up every offer on its merits.

“I had a great time at Burnley. I knew everybody there and knew what I was doing every day.

"I was very comfortable there.

“It would have been easy for me to stay and keep going along and see it out.

"But I don’t think that would have been the best thing for any party.

"It wouldn’t have been the best thing for me to get the best out of myself professionally.

“I’ve had one or two chances to move in the past and it wasn’t quite right.

"It just feels like a good time and a good club for me to be going on to.

“It’s a little bit weird but I think it’s sunk in now I’ve trained and been at the club and met the lads.

“I’ve been going to Burnley day in day out for the last six years.

"That, allied to the good times I’ve had there, it became a big part of my life.

“It’s a bit change to not be going there any more. It’s exciting too.”

He added: “I’ve had a wonderful time at Burnley.

"I’ve been very fortunate that my time at the club has probably coincided with the best period they’ve had for 30 or 40 years.

“It’s been a great time there but everything comes to an end eventually.

“I’ve left behind a lot of good friends and a lot of good memories.

“But this is a new challenge and a new opportunity for me.”