'I don't think I'd be the player I am today' Former Sunderland man Luke Molyneux reflects on Black Cats release

Former Sunderland winger Luke Molyneux believes he has become a better player as a result of his release from the Stadium of Light back in 2019. Molyneux came through the Black Cats academy, making his first team debut in 2018 for Sunderland against Wolves at the end of the 2017/18 Championship campaign.

While the club had been already relegated to League One at that point, Molyneux played all 90 minutes in Sunderland's 3-0 home win over the league champions Wolves. He made two appearances for Sunderland the following year before being released at the end of the 2019 campaign which led to him joining Hartlepool United where he spent the second half of that season at on loan.

Regular football in the National League with Hartlepool allowed Molyneux to hone his craft, making him a better player. Following their promotion back to the Football League in 2021, Molyneux and the Pools secured a 17th placed finish in League One - with the winger bagging 12 goals in 55 appearances.

Recently, Molyneux has signed for Doncaster Rovers, who were relegated from League One last season, and the 24-year-old believes his release from Sunderland was potentially one of the best things to happen to him. “If I hadn’t been released from Sunderland, ended up in the National League with Hartlepool then worked my way back up, I don’t think I’d be the player I am today," Molyneux told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"I’ve improved on a lot of things and overcome a lot to become a better person as well as a better player. It (being released by Sunderland) was a bit of a shock.

"I went out on loan that season to Gateshead and I felt there was no reason why Sunderland shouldn’t have kept me on. Luckily Craig Hignett at Hartlepool wanted me.

"I was