Sunderland striker Fraizer Campbell has no regrets leaving Manchester United.

After a series of knee operations, Campbell's quality was recognised by Stuart Pearce with a first call-up to the England squad earlier this month.

"It was hard to move on from United," he told the Daily Mail. "I was training with the first team from 16 or 17. I felt like I was part of a family.

"When you've been there that long, it becomes the team you support. You feel part of it. You know everyone there. I also got brought up the right way there. You learn from players like Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

"But I had to be realistic. I wanted to play football. I really enjoyed the season on loan at Hull, gaining promotion and all that. I had a good time in Antwerp the year before.

"Living in a foreign country at 18 was good for me. The season after Hull I then went down to Tottenham, but I didn't play much and didn't want to do that for another season.

"I could have stayed and continued to say I'm a Man United player. But that wasn't for me. I wanted to play. I didn't go back to Carrington. It was easier to avoid saying goodbye to everyone. But I had to move on."