SUNDERLAND’S John O’Shea revealed how his loan spell at Cherries had provided him with the ideal grounding for his career.

The then-Manchester United defender spent two months on loan in Dorset in 2000, the season after the Red Devils had won the treble.

O’Shea made 10 appearances in Division Two during that spell and featured alongside the likes of Eddie Howe, James Hayter and Claus Jørgensen.

And O’Shea, now an elder statesman at 34 years old, said his stint at Dean Court had been a valuable exercise.

“I had a fantastic experience down there in terms of football and the people," he said.

"They really looked after me. I’ve only got positive memories.

“The manager (Sir Alex Ferguson) sent me there to get an understanding of what it means to win games at that level, rather than just a reserve game.

“You see lads fighting for contracts and bonuses and what it meant to their careers. It was a great leveller for me.”

O’Shea is optimistic that the Black Cats will be able to secure their first Premier League victory of the season on his return to Dean Court on Saturday (3pm).

He added: “Bournemouth really try to win games but, hopefully, we can use that to our advantage.”

O'Shea was speaking to the Shields Gazette.