BENNI McCarthy admits he was wrong in the way he quit Blackburn Rovers – but believed it was the only way he would be allowed to complete his switch to West Ham United.

The Blackburn Rovers striker’s protracted move to Upton Park was finalised yesterday, for in the region of £2.2million, with McCarthy expressing regret at how he ended his four-year stint at Ewood Park.

The South African went AWOL last week, amid fears Rovers were set to block his move to the capital, leading to criticism from the manager and fans alike.

Now looking ahead to a potential debut at Burnley on Saturday, the 32-year-old has lifted the lid on his last few weeks in East Lancashire, claiming he was left with no choice but do what he did.

He said: “During my whole time at Blackburn I never had an episode or a fall-out with Sam Allardyce.

"He always had respect from me and he was always upfront with me.

"He has always said I was not in his plans and not the kind of player he was looking for.

"I accepted that and it was clear it was time for me to move on.

“But when it was coming to that time, they started making life difficult.

"The matters I took were not the right way of doing things but I felt I was not going to get done while I stayed there.

“I was never happy playing one game and then missing two. I felt I had served my time at Blackburn and it was time to move on.

“Unfortunately I never had a chance to say thank you to the fans.

"They have been utterly fantastic for me and I wish them all the best and I hope things go well for them because they are a great club and fantastic fans.”

McCarthy wasn’t about to leave without a swipe at his former boss Sam Allardyce though, despite claiming the pair of them never had a disagreement during their turbulent time together.

He claimed he was ‘not allowed to play the kind of football he wanted to’ at Blackburn and insisted West Ham’s style would be more suited to his talents.

“I am really pleased it has gone through,” he said. “It has been a real headache all the visa and work permit stuff and all the new regulations you have to go through to be allowed to play.

“It has been stresses and headaches but now I can look forward to getting back in the team and start enjoying training again.

“It has been a nightmare. But it has all been worth the long wait and finally I get the chance to go to a team that, if all goes well, I can play a great role in their revival to stay in the Premier League and looking ahead to.

“The manager has been great. He has put my mind at ease about the kind of football he is looking to play and what to expect from the team.

"They are a team that plays the kind of football I want to play and was not allowed to play when I was at Blackburn.”