Former SAFC player Darron Gibson has spoken about his troubles on Wearside. Including the drink driving incident and the backlash from fans as a result of his actions, which he says is the biggest regret of his footballing career.
BIG MISTAKE
"Not crash a car drunk. Look, I enjoyed my time at Sunderland but obviously I hold my hands up.I made a mistake and it was a big mistake.”
BIGGEST REGRET
"Believe me I've paid for it in more than one way. I do regret doing it. It is one of my biggest regrets because my career would have went a different path, had I not had the accident. I think I would have ended up playing at a higher level for longer. That would probably be my biggest regret really.”
CHANGED
"Massively [changed as a person]. I had to look at myself massively after that. It was a tough time for me and my family so it massively changed me as a person. I had to look at myself and sort of think, I can't just think about myself anymore I need to think about my family because of what came after that. Which is fair enough, the abuse after from Sunderland fans and criticism, I deserved it because it was something I shouldn't have done.”
LONELINESS
"It's one of those things I had to deal with but it did change me massively for the better. Yeah [it was lonely] because I moved up there on my own. The kids were in good schools and we didn't really want to take them out.”
WAKE UP CALL
"I went up there on my own and I was in a bad place mentally to be totally honest with you. Looking back now, that's why things went the way they went, but if that hadn't have happened, then I wouldn't be the person I am now. In a way I'm glad it happened because I needed to seriously have a look at myself."
