Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome wants to "put one over" his hometown club Huddersfield in Saturday's FA Cup tie after claiming they almost wrecked his career.

Jerome was a schoolboy with the Terriers but became disillusioned with the game when they refused to release him after bigger clubs started to show an interest in signing him.

He drifted out of football for a while until brief spells followed at Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough and Grimsby before he climbed the footballing ladder again with Cardiff.

Jerome, who moved to Birmingham in a £3million deal in the summer of 2006, insists he has nothing to prove to Huddersfield but is desperate to knock them out and send Alex McLeish's side into the fourth round.

The England Under-21 player admitted: "I lost a little bit of love for the game when I was a teenager.

"It's true I was with Huddersfield, my hometown team, as a junior but they wouldn't release me when other clubs were interested in signing me.

"After a while I went to Sheffield Wednesday and played some pre-season games but it wasn't right for me. Middlesbrough came in but I didn't hit it off there either.

"I went to Grimsby Town as well and it was Paul Wilkinson who remembered me from there when he was Cardiff City's reserve team coach.

"I went there, things took off and I eventually moved to Birmingham."

Jerome admitted: "With the way things happened, I have been looking forward to this match ever since the third-round draw was made.

"I don't have anything to prove. What happened was years ago when I was a kid and I think I have showed what I can do since then but it would be nice to go back and put one over on them.

"I am definitely out to do that. I would even want to play if I was injured in this game. I have been looking forward to it for a long time."

Jerome has been impressed with McLeish following the departure of Steve Bruce in November after six years in charge.

He said: "It did come as a surprise when Steve left. He did a lot of work to change the squad around in the summer and then, all of a sudden, he was gone.

"The club chose what they felt was the right thing to do and he made his call. It was a bit unsettling. You always look for stability and there was a worry about how it might affect things.

"But in football, you have to get on with your job and be professional. The club did well to get someone like the new manager in and he has started very well.

"Alex McLeish has brought a lot of enthusiasm with him and maybe the lads have been that little bit sharper in training.

"He wants us to play a bit more and he is very thorough in his preparation. We all know what is required of us and we are enjoying it under him."