Spell at Cats ‘a privilege’ - Winchester

CARL Winchester has described his two-and-a-half-year stint at Sunderland as ‘a privilege’ as he prepares to leave Wearside this summer.

The Northern Irishman is the Black Cats’ only senior player out of contract this summer and will depart when his deal expires at the end of the month.

The 30-year-old midfielder joined the club from League Two Forest Green Rovers in January 2021, becoming the first signing since Kristjaan Speakman was appointed as sporting director the previous month.

That meant Winchester was reunited with his former Oldham Athletic boss Lee Johnson, who was then head coach at Sunderland.

He made a dozen starts in the second half of the 2020-21 campaign.

However, he came into his own the following season as he played 40 games - the majority at rightback and also at times in central defence - to help Sunderland win promotion from League One.

Winchester (pictured) said: “When the interest came I couldn’t believe it - Sunderland wanting a player from a lower league, when usually you would think they would be trying to get players from the Championship or the Premier League.

“It was just a privilege to come, and as soon as I knew there was interest I was just saying ‘get it done, get it done straightaway’ because I was so excited.

“Don’t get me wrong, it was a big challenge because I had never really played for a club of that size and with that kind of fan base. It was new to me but an exciting challenge and I knew it was one I wanted to pursue.

“I loved my time at Sunderland - it was unbelievable,”

“I came in as a centre-mid and ended up playing right-back, but when you are playing for a club like Sunderland, whether you are asked to play at centre-back, right-back, left-back, it should be a privilege just to go out there.

“How many kids from Sunderland - or anywhere - wish they could play for a team like that?”