Black Cats break silence on Butler exit

SUNDERLAND have broken their silence over the departure last season of Irish winger Thomas Butler.

Butler officially left the Black Cats in September and is currently playing for Dunfermline but has now submitted a claim to an employment tribunal.

Club officials say they are “surprised and disappointed” by the claim as they feel they handled his situation with “extreme sensitivity and confidentiality.”

The club said: “During the early part of this year Thomas Butler, entirely of his own volition, resigned from the club and made it clear to the manager that he no longer wanted to play football for Sunderland.

“In a meeting with Mick McCarthy in January 2004, Thomas Butler informed him that he no longer enjoyed playing competitive football and hadn’t for some time.

“He indicated to the club that, having reflected on this for many months, he did not enjoy the life of a footballer.”

Butler was given permission to visit his family to consider his position and confirmed his decision to resign when manager Mick McCarthy and vice-chairman John Fickling flew to Ireland to meet him.