The 34-year-old Sheldon-born player was a free agent after turning down the offer of a new contract at Goodison Park - and he was wanted by Blues, Derby and Premier League new boys West Brom.

But he has signed a two-year deal with Alex McLeish's relegated club as they look to rebuild ahead of next year's Championship campaign.

Carsley's family have continued to live in the Birmingham area while he has been at Everton, but the strain of that situation had concerned him for some while.

And considering he has a young family, the chance to move when his Everton contract ran out was always a likely outcome.

"My contract ran out at Everton and I was offered a new deal there but I felt it was time to move on," Carsley told Birmingham's website.

"I wanted a new challenge and I didn't necessarily want to go to another Premier League club and struggle with them.

"Being realistic, we finished fifth in the league with Everton so I wasn't going to go to any of the teams above them and I couldn't see the point of going to any of the teams below them.

"So I feel I've done the next best thing and joined a club that's building for the future and trying to get where Everton are.

"I'd seen the job that Alex McLeish had done at Rangers and Scotland, where he had performed miracles.

"Alex just came across to me as a winner and his visions for the club match my own."

The Republic of Ireland international insisted: "Even though I'm 34, I'm not looking to wind down. All together last season, I played over 50 games including internationals.

"I've left a club that's going to be playing in the UEFA Cup again next season so it's not something I've done lightly.

"Everyone knows how I feel about Everton. It was a fantastic club and I had a great time there.

"We finished fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh so I've been a part of cementing that club in the top six.

"I've now come for a fresh challenge."

Carsley had been linked with West Brom and Derby as it emerged he wanted to move closer to his native West Midlands.

"Because my contract was up I spoke to a few clubs," he continued.

"I was lucky in the fact that I had a good season last season and there was a lot of interest.

"It was important to me that I made the right decision because at my age I can't afford to be making any mistakes.

"It had to be the right club and one I felt I could win something with.

"I've had a good career so far but I've not won anything and my main thing now is to win the Championship, get back into the Premier League and stabilise the club.

"I'll be putting everything into the next couple of years to make sure we get back in the Premier League."

Carsley hails from the Sheldon area of Birmingham and has rejected rumours he supported the club's rivals Aston Villa as a boy.

The midfielder, who was a trainee at Derby after spending time with Birmingham, said: "I didn't bother supporting a team as a kid because I was always into playing football.

"My family are Blues fans and there's just one Villa fan.

"The reason I think it came out that I supposedly supported Villa was because one of my favourite players when I was young was Gordon Cowans.

"Another one of my favourite players was Bryan Robson but nobody said I was a West Brom fan!"

Now Toffees boss David Moyes must now plug the gap in his squad left by the tenacious, hard-working midfielder.

But Everton have distanced themselves from claims that former Liverpool youngster Alou Diarra was being considered.

Diarra did not play a senior game with Liverpool in his stay at the club, but has since become a full France international and would cost £8million from Bordeaux.

However, it is understood that Moyes is not in the hunt for the player, while suggestions that he will move for West Brom's out-of-contract Hungarian midfielder Zoltan Gera have also been dismissed.

Moyes has been holding crucial talks with club owner Bill Kenwright during the last few days, when transfer policy and his budget have been on the agenda.

Moyes has also discussed his own contract and a likely extension, but this is considered by insiders at the club to be a formality, with squad strengthening initially being considered more important.

Carsley is the 13th player to leave Goodison since the club clinched fifth place and a UEFA Cup qualification.