Luke Molyneux reveals how shock Sunderland exit helped make him a better player

Academy product Molyneux, released by Sunderland in 2019, has been with Hartlepool United for the past three seasons but is now looking forward to a new challenge.

Molyneux scooped Pools’ player of the year award last season after scoring 12 goals in 55 appearances across all competitions.

But the 24-year-old believed he was ready for a new challenge after turning down the opportunity to remain at the Suit Direct Stadium beyond the summer with Molyneux instead choosing Gary McSheffrey’s side.

Reflecting on his time at Sunderland and his new challenge, Molyneux told the Yorkshire Post: “If I hadn’t been released from Sunderland, ended up in the National League with Hartlepool then worked my way back up, I don’t think I’d be the player I am today.

“I’ve improved on a lot of things and overcome a lot to become a better person as well as a better player.

“It (being released by Sunderland) was a bit of a shock.

"I went out on loan that season to Gateshead and I felt there was no reason why Sunderland shouldn’t have kept me on.

"Luckily Craig Hignett at Hartlepool wanted me. I was enjoying it but I had a big injury and when I came back, Craig Hignett wasn’t the manager.”

He added: “Sunderland had a real good age group when we were 16, it was tipped to be the next best thing after Jordan Henderson’s but not a lot of players have made it through, which is quite mad.

"Ethan Robson’s just signed for MK Dons, there was George Honeyman and (Portsmouth’s) Denver Hume but not a lot are in the league or even playing football. I want football as my full-time job so I’ll just keep pushing on.

“I was confident I was going to make that step eventually but you always have doubts when you get released.

"Even when we got promoted from the National League, I didn’t know if I was going to be staying at Hartlepool because I didn’t play as much as I wanted.”