Ex-Sunderland favourite reveals reasons behind £200k transfer exit to League One

Former Sunderland favourite Lee Howey has revealed his reasons for leaving Sunderland in 1997.

The Seaham-born player, who could play as a centre-back and striker, signed for his boyhood club in 1993 and won promotion to the Premier League before Sunderland fell back down to the Championship.

After Sunderland's relegation in 1997, Howey, who had injury problems with his knee, swapped Sunderland in the second tier for Burnley in League One.

"When I went to Burnley, I made it clear that I wanted to be a centre-half because being a centre-forward was just too much. It was too much," Howey told the UndrTheCosh Podcast.

"But I just wanted to play and that is one of the reasons I left Sunderland because we had getting promoted, I played the last 14 games of the Premier League season and we went down.

"We just never scored enough goals. I think we had the highest points scored in the Premier League at the time and we went down.

"We were playing Sheffield United the first game again live on the Sunday and Andy Melville was back in the team. I was just disappointed. I could understand because Mel was probably a better centre-half than I was.

"I didn't want to be dropped and I just wanted to play and I knew I was on borrowed time and I just wanted to play as many games before it was all over hence I went to Burnley."

Howey continued: "I was just sat in my house and Reidy (Peter Reid) rang me and said we've just accepted a £200k offer from Burnley for you, Waddler (Chris Waddle) wants you."