Sunderland centre-forward Kenwyne Jones has revealed how rejection by Manchester United still burns.

Jones, 24, failed to impress during a two-week trial in 2002 and was sent packing with plenty to ponder.

The Trinidad & Tobago international, whose struggling side host United, told The Sun: "I had a trial there seven years ago. It was my first experience of a big club and their set-up.

"When I experienced what it was like, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I saw players like Van Nistelrooy, Laurent Blanc, Juan Veron and, of course, Dwight Yorke.

"It spurred me on to work even harder to get there. If I had let that get me down I wouldn't be here today. I went back home for a bit, had a few weeks at Rangers, West Ham. I went all over the place but I never gave up."