Hull’s George Honeyman explains why he doesn’t regret Sunderland exit

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Sunderland sold their homegrown captain George Honeyman to Championship side Hull City in August.

George Honeyman has admitted that the decision to leave boyhood club Sunderland wasn’t an easy one, while speaking to Hull Live, but he is confident that new employers Hull City can make his dreams of Premier League football come true.

Prudhoe-born Honeyman joined the Black Cats academy at the age of 10 before rising through the ranks and eventually captaining a club he supported all his life. It is fair to say the local lad made good lived the dream, for a while at least.

But when July turned into August, Sunderland made the shock decision to sell their skipper. Hull made a bid of £400,000 and, with just a year left on Honeyman’s contract, that was simply too good for the cash-strapped Wearsiders to turn down.

Honeyman was understandably emotional when bidding farewell to a club he has represented for 15 years, but believes that joining Hull and making the step up to the Championship should open a lot of doors.

“It was a really tough decision for me to leave,” the 24-year-old said. “I’d been at Sunderland since I was 10 and I was captain of the football club.

“That’s something that not many young lads get to do. I was extremely privileged and it was a dream come true. But I think for Sunderland and for me it was probably time I left.

“(Hull have) a squad that I believe is capable of great things in the Championship. I’m now looking forward to being successful with Hull City in the years to come.”

“I know I can handle (Premier League) level and I want to get back there with Hull City.”

For all of Honeyman’s unbridled passion and undoubted commitment to the cause, the homegrown talent certainly divided opinion among Sunderland supporters, thanks in part to Jack Ross’s decision to play a hard-working midfielder in a number ten role that didn’t suit his talents.

But, if the former St Mirren boss is attempting to introduce more cutting edge in the final third, he has a lot of work to do with the new season beginning with successive 1-1 draws.