Dan Ballard: ‘I surprised myself’ – Sunderland defender on adapting to the Premier League

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard admitted he had “doubts” about his ability to get promoted to the Premier League, saying he was “surprised” by his start with the Black Cats in the top flight.

The 26-year-old played in 17 of Sunderland’s 21 league matches, scoring twice – including a memorable goal against former club Arsenal in a 2-2 draw.

He has helped Regis Le Bris stay clear of the bottom three at 10th in the table, and he is happy that his pre-season gain has helped him maintain his place in the team despite the arrival of defenders such as Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele.

“I probably surprised myself with how well we did in the Premier League, and staying in the team and doing well was an added bonus,” he told BBC Sport’s Thomas Kean.

“There is always doubt when you play in a new league. With the progression to the Premier League, you know how difficult it is.

“Some players have struggled in the past. We’ve signed a lot of players. There’s a lot of competition and it might not have worked out, but I was really determined in pre-season and I want to show the manager, the team and the fans that I can play in this league and I think I’ve done that so far.”