REGRETS? He insists he has none. But Michael Nelson does admit to feeling a slight tug on the heartstrings.

Given his former club have just secured their place in the top-flight of English football while his current one have dropped down to the third tier, he wouldn't be human were that not the case.

Still, the Scunthorpe United defender is adamant he would much rather have been on the pitch trying to stem the tide of relegation than sat on the bench watching his Norwich City team-mates storm into the Premier League.

Nelson was among the first to congratulate his old Canaries colleagues after their victory over tomorrow's opponents Portsmouth on Monday.

But all his focus now is on ensuring it is the Iron experiencing similar scenes of celebration at the end of next year's League One campaign.

Having featured in Norwich's successive promotions before his switch to Glanford Park in January, the centre-back is keen to make it three in a row.

"I spoke to a couple of the Norwich boys straight after the game on Monday when they were in the changing room, and I've seen a couple of them this week," Nelson said.

"It has been mixed emotions.

"I'm thrilled to bits for them and thrilled for everyone connected with the club, especially the manager (Paul Lambert) – he was great during my time there.

"It's nice to see them do it, but I'm a Scunthorpe player now.

"If I wasn't going to be playing and was only going to be on the sidelines, I don't think I'd feel any more of a part of it than I do now.

"I'd rather be out playing football than sitting on the sidelines and watching from afar.

"A lot of people have asked if I've got any regrets and if I should have stayed at Norwich.

"But, if I wasn't going to be playing football and my contract was up this summer, for all the getting promoted to the Premier League, I would have been looking for a club come the summer, along with another couple of hundred players.

"It was the right time, the right deal and the right club to come to.

"It didn't work out as everyone hoped it would this year, but that's football.

"You've just got to concentrate on being part of the manager's plans next year and helping to bring Scunthorpe back to the Championship.

"The last two seasons I've been part of two promotion campaigns, albeit only a small part this season at Norwich.

"It's something that's at the back of your mind and is something you can get quite used to.

"That feeling of getting a club promoted and doing well, it's something you want to experience time and again.

"Hopefully, starting next season, we can look to build towards that."

To read Michael Nelson's thoughts on why 'everything must improve' in 2011/12, see a four-page Iron v Pompey preview in Friday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.