Stan Collymore yesterday pleaded for the chance to get his troubled career back on track at Leicester after enduring a year he would not have wished on his worst enemy.

Controversial striker Collymore could make his first Premiership appearance since March 21st, 1999, as early as tomorrow at Watford after completing his move to Filbert Street yesterday morning.

The 29-year-old, who has had problems at Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Aston Villa, refused to get embroiled in a discussion about whether this was his last chance following his failure to settle in and fulfil his potential at any of those clubs.

But Collymore must realise that should he not succeed at Leicester - who are not believed to have paid a fee up front for his services, but will give Villa £500,000 if he makes 50 appearances - a manager would be taking his own future in his hands if he gambled on the former England striker's unpredictable talent.

Collymore said he wanted to make a fresh start and explained: "We all make mistakes. I'm sure there's not a person in this room who hasn't made a mistake, but mine have been lived out in the public eye."

Leicester manager Martin O'Neill has been warned that his new signing can cause problems, especially when it comes to team spirit, but he insisted: "I don't consider it a risk at all in terms of football. He's got fantastic ability and we hope that we might bring it out of him. He'll enhance the dressing-room spirit because he's a bright lad."

Villa manager Gregory said, meanwhile, that there has been no personal fall-out between him and Collymore. He said Collymore's failure to produce the goods on the pitch was the only reason for him being frozen out of the first-team picture at Villa Park.