Darren Bent has questioned whether his continued absence from the Aston Villa team was a personal snub by manager Paul Lambert, as he looks to revive his career under Steve McClaren at Derby County.

At 30, Bent says he still feels ‘as fresh as a daisy’ and is targeting promotion to the Premier League with his new club.

But he also expressed confusion that he failed to get more than 78 minutes of Premier League football this season in a Villa side that has scored 12 times in all competitions — the lowest of any club in the top four divisions.

Darren Bent (left) has left Aston Villa on loan after falling out of favour with manager Paul Lambert

‘Some people have said, “Is it personal?” I don’t know to be honest,’ said Bent. ‘I spoke to Paul and he told me my chance was coming. He told me my attitude was first-class. Then the games came along and I wasn’t playing.

‘For whatever reason, he’s not used me — even though the team struggled to score, I’ve still not played. Is it deeper than what people say? It might be, who knows?’

Bent is set to make his Derby debut at Ipswich today, his first club, in a key clash between second and third in the Championship. It will be the first time he has returned to Portman Road as a player since leaving for Charlton in 2005.

Striker Bent is pictured with his new Derby shirt and Rams manager Steve McClaren

The former England striker, who cost Villa a club-record £18million fee in January 2011, was a member of Lambert’s infamous ‘bomb squad’ sent to train apart two years ago as the Scot looked to trim costs. Bent, on wages of £65,000 per week, spent last season on loan at Fulham, scoring six times.

But last summer saw a readjustment from Lambert after owner Randy Lerner admitted he was looking to sell the club. Assets were utilised. Alan Hutton came in from the cold to win a new contract, while Charles N’Zogbia features regularly. Bent, however, started only the League Cup defeat to Leyton Orient.

Lambert watched Bent miss two chances and declined to give him more than 21 minutes in a game subsequently, preferring Gabby Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann. Bent revealed his exasperation at missing out even when Christian Benteke was absent through injury and suspension.

Bent is all smiles after penning a loan deal at Derby County until the end of the season

‘I played in pre-season and did well, I had chats with numerous people and I thought I would play. For some reason I didn’t,’ said Bent. ‘Christian had done his injury and was out — and I still didn’t play! I don’t know what sort of option that made me. If Christian was fit, I was on the bench. If he wasn’t, I was on the bench.’

Bent eventually compelled Lambert to allow an emergency loan move to Brighton.

‘I don’t know any player with ambition who wants to sit there, week in week out, and not play,’ he said. ‘I thought, “I’ve had enough of this”.’

Despite the path his career has gone down these past couple of seasons, Bent insists he has ‘no regrets’ about penning his Villa deal, which expires this summer. He did, after all, realise his dream of becoming one of the Premier League’s centurion scorers. His top-flight tally stands at 106.

Bent spent the last month on loan at the Amex, playing for Brighton and Hove Albion in the Championship

‘When I was a kid coming through I just wanted to score 100 Premier League goals,’ Bent said.

Featuring at Ipswich would bring his career full circle. Bent burst on to the scene in Suffolk as a 17-year-old in 2001. ‘They are the best days of your life when you’re in the youth team and parents are standing on the side wondering, “Is he going to come through?”. It’s a club I’ll always hold in high regard. I’d like to think I’d get a good reception.’

At his peak, Bent could claim to be one of the top Premier League strikers. Back in 2011, he was behind only Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba for scoring over the previous six years. His Villa record of 25 goals in 53 starts bears scrutiny given the perception his time in Birmingham has been a failure.

McClaren gave Bent two of his 13 England caps during his spell in charge of the Three Lions

McClaren acknowledged Bent’s career had ‘stalled’ but believes he can get a kick-start at the iPro Stadium. As national manager, the Derby head coach gave Bent two of his 13 England caps.

He has been recruited to provide Chris Martin with support and competition. The aim is promotion, which might mean a permanent move for Bent.