Darron Gibson has admitted leaving Everton for Sunderland was the wrong decision.
David Moyes brought Gibson to Goodison Park back in 2012 from Manchester United at the age of just 24.
The midfielder went on to make 69 appearances for Everton over his time on Merseyside before making the move to Wearside.
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However, the 38-year-old has now admitted that it was a move he still thinks about to this day.
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Darron Gibson admits Everton hindsight following Sunderland move
Sir Alex Ferguson urged Gibson to leave Man United halfway through a training session at Carrington.
Gibson got his hands on two Premier League trophies, but played limited minutes, with his Everton career also ending in Ronald Koeman urging him to find a new club.
“He (Ronald Koeman) pulls me into the office and goes ‘you’re not in my plans, so I’m like, alright fair enough,” Gibson said The Long Game YouTube channel.
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“He said, but you’re on great money and you have a year and a half left, so it’s up to you, you can stay or you can go.
“I thought I’m not going anywhere, I’ll fight. Three or four months later my head had completely gone.”
Gibson played in the ninth-tier of English football before officially calling it a day on his career.
“That January, Bryan Oviedo was going and my agent said they’ll [Sunderland] take both of you, and my head had gone, so I thought to just do it. In hindsight I should have seen out the last six months and found somewhere from there,” he added.
“I did not enjoy my time up there [Sunderland], but I was injured a bit, being injured, I couldn’t shoot down the road to Danielle and the kids. I didn’t want to be there.”
Club Apps Goals Assists Yellow Cards Red Cards Minutes
Everton FC 69 2 6 14 1 4,679′
Manchester United 60 10 8 11 – 3,548′
Royal Antwerp FC (Loan) 33 1 – 9 – 2,751′
Sunderland AFC 30 – – 5 – 1,926′
TOTAL 252 14 16 48 2 16,635′
Gibson’s four-highest represented clubs.
“I don’t regret anything but hindsight I probably should have stayed at Everton and just seen out the last six months.”
Despite only playing 69 times for Everton, it was on Merseyside where Gibson played the majority of his games.
Over his two seasons in the north east, Gibson only played 30 times for the Black Cats before leaving as a free agent.
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