Anton Ferdinand lifts the lid on explosive Steve Bruce row that led to two week Sunderland hiatus

Anton Ferdinand has lifted the lid on an explosive clash with former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce that saw him banished from the club for two weeks. The Black Cats were on the verge of the 2010 pre-season and speculation was mounting over the defender's future at the club.

Ferdinand had played the majority of pre-season for the Wearsiders but suffered a hamstring injury in the penultimate friendly against Leicester City. Speaking to the BroadTalks podcast, he said: "It started okay. I always felt from the minute he stepped in the door that he didn't like me, but he wanted to feel me out. I think he was someone that didn't like - what was I 23 or 24 - for someone at 24 to have such a big say in the dressing room.

"I had a big say in the dressing room, I was never captain but I was captain. I acted like the captain and had a big, big say on the dressing room and it wasn't a case of what I said, went, it was never really like that. But if I truly believed in something I would fight for it.

"Whether it's for the players, the players don't agree with what the manager is saying but I agree with the manager I would argue with players because I thought the manager was right. It wasn't one way with me. That's just the way that I was. I always thought that he had an issue with me, a personal issue, never football.

"Never, ever football, but I felt he had a personal issue with me. I did two years with him and there were two big ones [bust ups]. There was one which was an argument with him, just me and him in the gym.

"They were all out training and we were just about to start the season, it was his first season. I played every pre-season game and wore the armband a couple of games so I was like 'cool, this is good.' I always had