JOEY Beauchamp has spoken of his amazement at Nottingham Forest's decision not to sign him for medical reasons.

In an exclusive interview with the Oxford Mail, Beauchamp said he felt "gutted" by missing out on the chance of appearing on the Premiership stage.

Forest seemed set to sign Beauchamp last Friday after the clubs had agreed an £800,000 fee, but they pulled out just hours after putting the 27-old winger through a series of medical tests, claiming he had back and toe problems.

"I'm as fit as a fiddle," Beauchamp blasted. "I'm one of the fittest lads here and I've hardly missed a game in my whole career, so the whole thing's ridiculous.

"My playing record is second to none. I must have one of the best appearance records in football.

"If you look back over my career I've hardly missed a game. I can't ever remember missing consecutive games in my career."

He said: "The first thing they wanted me to do when I got to Forest was see the doctor. When he asked me to touch my toes I admit I was a bit stiff in my back, but it wasn't anything serious.

"The MRI scan I had may have shown up some slight wear on my back, but when Oxford signed me there was slight wear on my back.

"I should think 89 per cent of pros have got some sort of back problem.

"We all go to see the chiropractor about it, but I've not missed any training because of my back and I've not missed a match because of it.

"There's been a slight inflammation of the small bones on the side of my foot and I've had odd injections for that, but it's just to make sure it doesn't swell up.

"I don't miss training through it and I haven't missed a game through it and I'm sure I won't miss any games through it. "Everyone has some small thing wrong with them, but these are not career-threatening injuries. Career-threatening injuries are knees or where you've had a major operation.

"I've never had an operation of any kind and I've never broken a bone of any kind."

"Obviously I was gutted because I thought this could be my chance of joining a Premiership club."

It's believed Beauchamp's agent tried to find out if Fulham were still keen on signing the player, but since their bid for him they have snapped up the Republic of Ireland B international Steve Finnan from Notts County.

On Beauchamp's comment that he felt he had let people down because the Forest move had collapsed, United manager Malcolm Shotton replied: "Joey's now got to go out on the park and do it there, that's how he can pay us back.

"If he can go out there on Saturday and score a few goals that's how he can repay the club."

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