Max Power reveals the dramatic 48-hour twist that saw him swap Wigan Athletic for Sunderland

Max Power has revealed the dramatic story behind his move from Wigan Athletic to Sunderland - as he saw his career trajectory twist within just 48 hours.
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A deadline day arrival at the Stadium of Light in the summer of 2018, Power has since become a key man on Wearside – even captaining the side in Grant Leadbitter’s absence.

But it wasn’t a move that was on the midfielder’s agenda for much of the summer, as he looked to re-establish himself in the Championship after helping the Latics to promotion.

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Indeed, even just 48 hours before he put pen to paper at the Academy of Light, Power was preparing to line-up for Wigan against Aston Villa.

Sunderland midfielder Max PowerSunderland midfielder Max Power
Sunderland midfielder Max Power

Things quickly changed, though, as he explained to former teammate Danny Holmes in an Instagram Q&A.

“We won the league, we got 97 points, broke all sorts of records and got back into the Championship,” explained Power.

“Going into that summer, I worked really hard. I was having another crack at the Championship - I believe I can play there so I wanted to prove everyone wrong who said I couldn’t.

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“I spent the full summer at Wigan, played all the pre-season games and was really looking forward to the season.

“Then I remember getting called in to Paul Cook’s office. Deadline day was on the Thursday, and this was on the Tuesday.

“There had been murmurings of clubs being interested and that I might be moving on, but he pulled me in and said I would be starting on the Saturday.

“We had Aston Villa away and I was going to play tucked in off the right, so my focus was just on the weekend.

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“Then I got a phone call on the Thursday saying they had got a bid from Sunderland and I was free to leave.

“It was the first time in my career that I had been told by a manager that I was no longer wanted.”

There are no regrets for Power though, who admits the lure of playing for a ‘big club’ such as the Black Cats proved a real lure.

And a series of phone calls on his way to the North East only reinforced his desire to be a part of the club – even though it meant dropping a division and putting his dreams of Championship football on the back-burner.

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“I ended up joining a big club, and looking back I don’t think I would have left Wigan for any other club,” admitted Power.

“I remember ringing a lot of people on the way up to Sunderland asking ‘should I do it? Should I not?’ and every single person came back with the same answer.

“It’s all good and well playing in the Championship, but how often does an opportunity come along to play for Sunderland? That made my mind up for me.”