Aston Villa striker Darren Bent feels he left Sunderland in the right way.

Bent faces his old club for the first time this weekend.

"It was the opportunity for me to play for Aston Villa and I'm back close to home and my family. It gave Sunderland a lot of money, so it was a good deal for both parties," he said.

"It may sound strange, but I take heart from knowing it's because I had such a strong relationship with the supporters that they were so angry when I left. I know they cared for me and I know they treated me as if I was one of their own - and I felt like one - so I can understand why it looked like a betrayal. But in my eyes it wasn't.

"A player's career is short and sometimes you have to take a decision. Sometimes it's not a popular decision but it was a football decision, one I realise fans can't take when it comes to who they support. So it hurt them. But it was nothing to do with money or greed - it was purely a football decision.

"There was an offer of £24m from Villa, there were already several England internationals in the squad and I thought it was a chance to build up a rapport and get into the England squad and then stay there. It happened."