Mark Hughes' success second time round at Manchester United convinced David Dunn to return to Blackburn Rovers last season.

Dunn made his England debut against Portugal in September 2002 but was sold to Birmingham in July 2003 by the Rovers boss Graeme Souness, who criticised his lifestyle.

After an injury-plagued time at Brum, Rovers snapped him up for a cut-price £2.2million in January.

Dunn said: "A lot of people say never go back to where you've been successful but I'm more mature now as a person and a player."

Sparky returned to Old Trafford in 1988 after two seasons at Barcelona and Bayern Munich and helped transform United from perennial also-rans to English football's dominant force.

Dunn added: "When I met the gaffer he just said 'Well I went back to United' and everyone knows what happened there.

"That changed my mind a little and I'm glad I made the move."