JACK Colback insists there is no bitterness towards ex-Sunderland striker Darren Bent within the Black Cats camp – but has warned him to expect the worst on Wearside this weekend.

The young midfielder has nothing but praise for Bent’s professionalism and application during his highly successful stint with Sunderland, an 18-month spell that ended in unfortunate acrimony when he transferred to Aston Villa in January.

Colback says there are no hard feelings inside the dressing room and says that Sunderland as a football club have “moved on” from the furore surrounding his departure.

He knows that supporters might not have, though, and says the Black Cats are determined to compound Bent’s uncomfortable afternoon by consigning his side to a third straight defeat.

Colback said: “I think he will get stick – he’ll be expecting it, too.

“Personally I thought he was great down here, he was easy to get along with, the players liked him and he did very well for us. He was a good player for the football club. It was unfortunate how it all panned out and how it ended, but as a club I think we’ve moved on since then.

“He’s moved on, we have and we won’t worry about him. Apart from the fact he’s a good player he won’t get any extra attention, we just want the three points.”

In a national newspaper interview on Tuesday, Bent addressed the controversy surrounding the move for the first time since the turn of the year, promising not to celebrate if he scores and thanking both Steve Bruce and the club for everything they did for him.

Whether that will be enough to take the edge off the reception he is likely to be afforded is still open to debate, with many expressing hurt at the sudden nature of his exit and what they perceived to be misleading statements from the striker about his commitment.

Those are all points that have merit, but Colback – a level-headed, mature presence on and off the pitch – is genuine in wanting the very best for a player who was well-liked by his former team-mates.

“There’s no hard feelings for him moving on from the lads. It was his choice to move on, you don’t know the reasons behind it,” he said.

“We wish him all the best and I hope he does well for England but, with the greatest respect, I hope he’s on the losing team on Saturday.

“It’s one of those things – you don’t fall out with someone because they leave. You don’t know the reasons why and I respect him as a player and a former team-mate.

“It’s all over now, we just want Sunderland to do well.”