Ex-Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor: 'Sunderland is a horrible place'

Former Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor has admitted that he still does not see eye to eye with Sunderland fans, labelling the city "a horrible place".

The 31-year-old has never been one to shy away from stoking the fire, earning him a reputation as a fan favourite during his two-decade stint at St James' Park.

Taylor has once again looked to provoke a reaction by launching another attack on Sunderland, while also claiming that he still struggles to get defeats to the Magpies' Tyne-Wear rivals out of his system.

"It is a horrible place. People know the situation between me and Sunderland. They don't like me, I don't like them," he told the Daily Mail. "The hatred is what I love about playing against them, especially having 46,000 Mackems hate you as much as they do. It's great, and I hate them.

"The defeats always stay in mind. It's the sight of happy smiling Mackems that I don't like but unfortunately we got beaten a couple of times by them."

Taylor now plies his trade for Ipswich Town, featuring on two occasions for the Championship club since joining in the January transfer window.