Craig Gardner: 'Martin O'Neill didn't want to sell me'

Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner has defended manager Martin O'Neill's decision to sell him during their time at Aston Villa.

Gardner, who was allowed to leave Villa Park and sign with rivals Birmingham City in 2010, insists that it was he who pushed the manager to allow him to leave in order to secure regular first-team football.

"To be honest, I've read a bit about the gaffer selling me, but it doesn't paint the full picture," he told the Sunderland Echo.

"The truth is I wanted to leave, I was desperate to go because I wasn't getting games – I was pestering him about going because I wanted football.

"The gaffer didn't want me to leave, but I needed to go because I knew that reserve-team football was no longer good for me if I was going to develop as I wanted to."

Gardner has scored three goals in 15 appearances for Sunderland this season.