Matthews admits his aim is to have No 1 shirt for keeps
REMI Matthews insists he has not joined Sunderland to settle for a place on the bench - he intends to compete with Lee Burge for the number one slot.
Former Bolton goalkeeper Matthews signed for the Black Cats on Friday, boss Phil Parkinson finally landing his preferred target to replace Jon McLaughlin who moved to Glasgow Rangers earlier in the summer.
Matthews and Burge will both now have their sights set on succeeding McLaughlin as Sunderland’s new firstchoice shotstopper.
Matthews said: “I have come in, ideally, to play games.
“The boss is aware of how hungry I am and how much I want to play and do well and to get this club back to where it belongs.
“I want to have an input and hopefully make a difference.”
Matthews previously worked under Parkinson at Bolton and he also knows the backroom staff Parkinson brought to Wearside when he took over in October.
However, the 26-year-old said he did not need anyone to sell Sunderland to him.
He added: “It has taken a lot of time with a lot of stuff happening at other places and being a free agent you garner interest.
“I am just delighted to be here and to finally have the deal over the line.
“I am happy to be here and excited to get going.
“It was a no-brainer. Everyone knows how big a club it is, everyone knows it should not be in this league and, of course, I have worked with the manager and the backroom staff before.
“So for all those reasons, no-one needed to sell it to me.
“Working under the gaffer before was a massive factor.
“He gave me the opportunity to play in the Championship when he brought me to Bolton and I enjoyed working under him.
“It did not go as well as we had hoped because of circumstances which were no fault of our own and here I am now.”
Matthews played against Sunderland twice last season, helping the Trotters secure a 1-1 draw at the University of Bolton Stadium in September and then keeping a clean sheet on Wearside in a goalless draw on Boxing Day.
Of his experience at the Stadium of Light, he added: “I remember walking in and looking around and just thinking ‘this is a proper club’.
“It is a Premier League club, everyone knows that, it is obvious.”
Burge played the full 90 minutes of Sunderland’s first pre-season friendly at Gateshead on Saturday.
However, the Black Cats have further warm-up games against Carlisle United tomorrow and Harrogate Town on Saturday - and Matthews is looking forward to being involved in them.
He said: “I cannot wait to get out there and start working with the lads properly.
“I had a one-on-one training session with Butts (goalkeeping coach Lee Butler) on Friday and it was good to have my hands back on the ball because we have been off for several months now purely because of the pandemic.”