Euro 2016 dream wouldn't have been possible without Sunderland, says England star

The Tottenham Hotspur full-back spent the 2012-13 season on loan at the Stadium of Light, a successful loan spell that saw him moved into the first team on his return to White Hart Lane.

He hasn't looked back since and will now represent England in France this summer after confirmation he has made Roy Hodgson's final 23-man squad.

Rose didn't feature in the 2-1 win over Australia at the Stadium of Light on Friday night but he has moved to thank the club for its help in shaping his career.

"The year was massive," Rose told the England matchday programme.

"Without Sunderland giving me that chance, I don’t think I would be here doing this interview.

"It meant everything to have a club that was willing to believe in me and show me and my family great affection, even now when I go there.

"I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me and for a club to give you that chance and believe in you means the world – they treated me as if I came up through the academy system.

"I did really well there winning man of the match awards and having the fans sing my name, and Martin O’Neill had a great impact on how I was playing.

"I still try to go up there and watch games whenever I can - I went to the game against Everton where they won to stay up - and it’s a good three and a half hours from London, but I don’t think there’s any other way I can say thank you to Sunderland.

"It’s something that I’ve done before and I’ll keep doing whenever I get the chance."