Jack Ross reacts to Lee Cattermole's Sunderland departure

Cattermole brought his ten-year spell on Wearside to an end by mutual consent last week.

One of the biggest earners at the club, he reached an agreement to allow him to move on and make the costs of that deal more manageable for Sunderland in the long term.

Sunderland’s campaign ultimately ended in heartbreak, with two Wembley defeats, but Cattermole’s commitment and impressive performances won much praise from supporters.

“First of all, he deserves to be remembered fondly,” Ross told safc.com.

“It’s not often a player spends that length of time at a club, it’s very rare in the modern era.

“He’ll have seen a lot in that time, a lot of different challenges that he’ll have had to meet in that time. He’s been part of different teams.

“I think we developed a good relationship very quickly, I think he bought into how we worked and responded to it, I think he enjoyed the relationship with me and my staff.

“I’d like to think that was reflected in his performances last season and his contribution on the park,” he added.

“I’m pleased that has time at the club to an end in a positive light if you like, in terms of how people remember him.

“He goes with my very best wishes.

“It’s obvious to say that as a club we’re still in that transition period and that’s probably just another example of it.”