Kieran Richardson is grateful to Sunderland's fans for their support this season.

"The fans have been great with me since the moment I first signed," he said. "The main thing for me was to improve the consistency of my performances. I needed to play well in every game, not just one game in four.

"If you want to be a top player - and I do - you have to play well week-in, week-out.

"I set high standards for myself and I want to live up to them."