Swansea City's Jonjo Shelvey: I didn't get "a fair crack of the whip" at Liverpool

Swansea City midfielder Jonjo Shelvey believes that he had to leave Liverpool because he was not getting "a fair crack of the whip".

The 21-year-old joined Michael Laudrup's side in a £5m deal after being forced down the pecking order at Anfield last season.

Shelvey told reporters: "It is a big, big thing to leave, to come away from one of the biggest clubs in football, but I felt that I needed to come and play.

"I didn't want to sit behind people. I felt that I wasn't getting a fair crack of the whip at Liverpool but that's football. I can't fault any of the players there because they were first class.

"I felt my days had come to an end, I needed to get away whether it was on loan or permanent, but I needed to leave and try to get some football."

Shelvey made 69 appearances for the Reds in three years at the club.