Sunderland youngster linked with Sheffield Wednesday says he's 'desperate' to turn club around

The 23-year-old midfielder has broken into the first team picture this season and played more league minutes than any other player.

He is also the joint top scorer alongside winger Aiden McGeady.

Brought through the club's ranks from an early age, Honeyman has slammed those who have used Sunderland as a 'gravy train' in recent years and says that must change.

He told safc.com: "To play my first full season and be relegated from the Championship, that’s something that will always live with me. Obviously we have to learn lessons from what has happened but to be honest it feels too late for that.

"I didn’t see it during the game but the banner, worst team in the history of the club, that’s something which will stay with me for the rest of my life.

"I’m just desperate to do well. I’ve seen it here in the good times and I’m desperate to be part of it, to be here when there’s 40,000 cheering and kicking every ball for you, and you’re giving them something back. To be part of a club really on the up.

"That’s not happening at the minute and we’ve got to do whatever we can. We need a good work ethic and discipline in the place, people who want to be here.

"That goes right through the club, for too many it has been a gravy train, nice stadium, great facilities, they think it’ll be a nice, easy place to play. People need to understand that it isn’t easy, you can’t just come here and win games because it’s Sunderland. That needs to change."

Honeyman has just one year left on his current contract and his performances have attracted interest, including from Sheffield Wednesday.

Chris Coleman is desperate to keep the youngster and has already publicly said that an extension could be on the cards this summer.

He has also described Honeyman as having the best mentality he has ever seen in professional football.

Honeyman added that he feels the current squad should have been good enough to stay up this season and that the Stadium of Light one of the best places to play football.

He said: "I think that the squad was more than good enough to stay up, that’s just my opinion when I compare us to other teams that we have played against. There’s so much gone wrong this year, there’s no hiding place for where we are, we’re bottom of the Championship and that’s just the brutal fact of where we are.

"If you’re playing well and putting it in then there’s no better set of fans. If you’re not playing well, and we’re clearly not, we’re bottom of the Championship, yeah it’s tough but if you can’t handle it you shouldn’t be here.

"The support against Burton was as good as I’ve heard the Stadium and we weren’t even playing that well. If that doesn’t inspire or motivate you then nothing will."