Sunderland will always feel like a special home for Bardsley

PHIL Bardsley has a special place in his heart for Sunderland and that love affair will never diminish.

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When the ex-Black Cats defender looks back on his footballing journey, there's one chapter that stands out above all others - his time on Wearside.

It is a club where he not only rediscovered himself as a player but also forged a bond with a city and its people that remains strong today.

"It's been almost 20 years since I signed for the club," he told safc. com. "Coming from a working-class background in Salford, I think it just connected with Sunderland and the people there. I've always believed in hard work first and foremost - your quality comes out after that. That's what the fans respected, and that's what I tried to give every time I pulled on the shirt."