Sunderland: Alan Browne reveal could make Alex Neil's next Stadium of Light trip less frosty – View | OneFootball

New Sunderland signing Alan Browne revealed that former Black Cats boss Alex Neil played a key role in his decision to join the club.

A new era is underway at Sunderland following the appointment of Regis Le Bris as the club's new head coach.

The Black Cats had been without a manager since the sacking of Michael Beale in February and the search for his permanent replacement went on for more than 120 days.

It was a frustrating period for Sunderland supporters, and a host of managers were linked with the club during that time, including Will Still, Danny Rohl, Rene Maric, Liam Rosenior, Paul Heckingbottom, Bo Svensson, Pascal Jansen, Dave Challinor, Stephen Robinson, and Marti Cifuentes, but the board have opted for Le Bris.

The French coach made his first signing since taking over at the Stadium of Light this week, with midfielder Alan Browne arriving on a free transfer from Preston North End.

Browne was the Lilywhites' captain, and they made him a lucrative contract offer in an attempt to keep hold of him this summer, but he rejected the proposal in order to join the Black Cats.

The 29-year-old scored 46 goals and provided 26 assists in 414 games for North End during over a decade at Deepdale, and he enjoyed an impressive campaign for Ryan Lowe's side last season.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said that Browne was a long-term target for the club, and as a proven Championship performer, he will add some much-needed experience to Sunderland's young squad.

Alan Browne reveals Alex Neil influence on Sunderland move

After his move to Wearside was confirmed, Browne explained that discussions with new head coach Le Bris were crucial in convincing him to join the club, but he also revealed that he spoke to former Black Cats manager Alex Neil.

"The only person I spoke to was Alex Neil, who only said good things. I do take his advice on board. He is someone I worked with for quite some time at Preston. I don’t think he would point me in the wrong direction. He had a lot of good things to say about the club," Browne told the club's official YouTube channel.

Neil has been unpopular among Sunderland supporters since he made the shock decision to leave the club for Stoke City in August 2022, and he received a frosty reception when he returned to the Stadium of Light with the Potters, but he may get a warmer welcome on his next trip after the role he played in the signing of Browne.

Sunderland supporters may reconsider Alex Neil stance after Alan Browne admission

Browne had no shortage of interest this summer, with Coventry City and Sheffield United both said to have been keen on the Republic of Ireland international, and he had a contract offer on the table from Preston, so it is a coup for Sunderland to win the race for his signature.

Of course, Browne may still have decided to join the Black Cats without Neil's intervention, but he played under the Scotsman for almost four years at Deepdale, so his approval of the move would no doubt have been an important factor.

It is understandable that Sunderland supporters have a negative opinion of Neil after his sudden exit less than a month into the 2022-23 season, but events since his departure may help to explain why he made the switch to Stoke.

Neil admitted earlier this year that disagreements with the Black Cats hierarchy over recruitment played a part in his decision to join the Potters, and both Tony Mowbray and Beale have experienced similar frustrations with the board in recent years.

The fact that Sunderland were searching for a manager for over four months after Beale's dismissal suggests that their transfer policy was a deterrent for prospective bosses, so Neil's exit is a little less surprising now than it was at the time.

Neil did deliver success during his brief tenure on Wearside, leading the Black Cats to promotion to the Championship after four years in League One, and it was reported in February that he was open to a return to the club, suggesting that he is keen to build bridges with supporters.

The 43-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Stoke in December, so it remains to be seen when he will be back in the away dugout at the Stadium of Light, but after his positive recommendation to Browne, he may have improved his reputation among the Sunderland fan base ahead of his next visit.