STEVE Cotterill has finally moved to dispel the myth he abandoned Stoke for Sunderland.

Burnley's new boss created a furore in the Potteries in October 2002 when he quit City after just 13 games to become Howard Wilkinson's number two at Sunderland.

Unfortunate timing and personal ambition both contributed to Cotterill angering fans by making the switch so soon after taking over the Britannia Stadium.

Since then, the new Clarets chief has been branded 'Quiterill" by those with little knowledge of the reasons behind his sudden departure.

But he insists that even while trying to play his part in keeping Sunderland in the Premiership, City's First Division plight was never far from his thoughts.

Cotterill said: "There were circumstances why I left Stoke, which I have never decided to make open and public, other than talking about the ambition of going to a massive club like Sunderland.

"I don't think that's the right thing to do. Things didn't work out, but that happens and it happens to lots of managers.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if we all had it, what a boring world it would be.

"I still have great feelings for Stoke and people don't know that after I left I still contacted players after if they were feeling down or maybe had a poor run of form.

"I won't name names because it could embarrass them, but I still did work in the background that people will never know about.

"This is the first opportunity I have had to say anything about that, but I am sure maybe if Stoke fans knew a few of those things, they might be a bit more forgiving.

"I still have great passion and great thoughts for Stoke and I will have good things to say about them in my programme notes when they come here this season."

Despite his comments, Cotterill seems certain to face the wrath of Stoke fans when Burnley visit the Potteries next season.

But City will not be the only former club the Clarets boss comes face to face with when the fixtures are finally released at the end of this month.

His debut season at Turf Moor will also take him back to Sunderland, where he was sacked along with Howard Wilkinson in March 2003, Leicester, where he spent three months at the tail end of last season as a coach, and Brighton, where he played on loan in 1992.

Cotterill insisted: "They are good games to look forward to, but I'm a Burnley manager now and that's my only focus."