GWENT'S Premiership new-boys, Danny Gabbidon and James Collins, are relishing the chance to test themselves among the best - after a £3 million move to West Ham United.

Best friends Collins, 21, from Newport, and Gabbidon, 25, from Cwmbran, have moved to the Hammers after forging a successful partnership for Cardiff City and Wales last season.

It prompted Hammers boss Alan Pardew unusually to bid for them as a pair, and with Cardiff in desperate financial trouble they could not hold on to their prized duo.

Gabbidon, the more senior of the two, said: "As a young kid you dream about playing in the Premier League and I can't believe it has happened.

"Without doubt it's a dream come true for me. A move to the Premiership with a massive club like West Ham United is just a fantastic opportunity and now I hope to take advantage. I'm relishing the challenge, the Championship is a very good league and I felt that I've learned a lot there.

"But every player wants to play against the top teams in the Premier League and I'm just delighted to have that chance.

"You watch the games and the great players on TV and it makes you want to be up there. I can't wait to test myself against some of the best players in the world and hopefully I can show people what I can do.

"The players who won promotion last season did extremely well and it's up to James and myself to prove our worth to Alan Pardew.

"We're certainly not just expecting to walk straight into the West Ham team. We know we have to earn the right to play in the Premiership and that's going to mean a lot of hard work during pre-season."

For Collins it will be the first time he has lived outside of Wales (Gabbidon had an unsuccessful spell in the Midlands at West Brom) but he is sure that with Danny with him, he'll have no trouble adjusting to life in the big city.

"I've never lived outside of Cardiff before so this is all going to be new for me," he said.

"It's a terrific move and I'm delighted. Obviously having Danny coming too is going to make it easier to settle in, but I'm really looking forward to it and it should be a tremendous experience.

"We started pre-season today so that will be good for us to meet the rest of the lads and get stuck in. Hopefully now I can concentrate on getting a good pre-season under my belt and showing the manager what I can do.

"As a footballer it's your dream to play at the highest level and this is a great opportunity for me to play for a big club in the Premier League."

The departure of Gabbidon was anticipated by Cardiff supporters due to the financial troubles at the club, but Collins leaving is a huge blow to the Ninian Park faithful.

Despite Sam Hammam assuring them that he would stay, it seems the club owner (and former Leeds chief Peter Risdale - now at Cardiff City) cashed in on Collins to avoid the threat of administration, which loomed large last season.

Hammam said: "By selling both players we secure our future for 2005/6."

Cardiff boss Dave Jones now has a £600,000 transfer kitty.

Wales cap Jason Koumas and defender Darren Purse (both West Brom) are thought to be his targets.