I played 63 times for Sunderland - but I was sold on controversial Newcastle United move

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Darren Bent was convinced he was joining Newcastle United in the summer of 2013 - but ended up at Fulham instead.

Bent previously spent 18 months at bitter rivals Sunderland, scoring 36 goals in 63 appearances before handing in a transfer request as he forced a £24million move to Aston Villa in January 2011.

The former England international went from hero to villain on Wearside, so much so that he was willing to join the enemy.

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Darren Bent in action for Sunderland against Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson. (Photo credit should read GRAHAM STUART/AFP via Getty Images)Darren Bent in action for Sunderland against Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson. (Photo credit should read GRAHAM STUART/AFP via Getty Images)
Darren Bent in action for Sunderland against Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson. (Photo credit should read GRAHAM STUART/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Having fallen out of favour at Villa Park, Bent had permanent offers from Newcastle and Crystal Palace, and a loan offer from Fulham. Looking back, Bent regrets his decision to move to Craven Cottage.

"The one [move] I think I probably should have done was when I went to Fulham for a year, and Ian Holloway was at [Crystal] Palace at the time and he was chasing me,” Bent told talkSPORT.

“I’d spoken to Ian Holloway loads of times and I’d spoken to [Alan] Pardew at Newcastle. 

“When I think about it now it makes no sense. Palace offered me three years. I'd have been 29, 30 I think.

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“Three years at Palace. Newcastle matched it, three years under Mike Ashley with Alan Pardew. And I opted to go to Fulham on loan for a year. I don't know [why I did that].”

Bent revealed he held direct talks with then Newcastle manager Alan Pardew and a move back to the North East was his first choice as he jetted off on his summer break.

However, the 40-year-old claimed it was radio silence between him, Pardew and Newcastle until the day of his medical at Fulham.

Bent explained: “The weird thing is that I met Alan Pardew the year before, I think we played Wigan.

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“And I met Pardew a couple of days later. I was given permission to meet Pardew to speak to him about going to Newcastle, so they were the front runners. So I was convinced I was going to Newcastle.

“I didn't hear from Pardew and Newcastle until after I'd finished my medical at Fulham. They called and said: ‘What are you doing? We want you to come up here’. I'm like: ‘Well, I'm sitting here now. Why are you telling me this now? You've had the jump on everybody’." 

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