SUNDERLAND'S No 1 Ben Alnwick has admitted he is full of regret over his decision to hand in a transfer request.

Alnwick asked for a move prior to pre-season training after becoming frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities.

The 19-year-old goalkeeper made his debut in the Black Cats 2-1 home victory over Leicester City as Mick McCarthy's side stormed to the Championship title the season before last. It was the first of three consecutive appearances during the run in after injury robbed Sunderland of first team goalkeepers Mart Poom and Thomas Myhre.

When McCarthy allowed Poom and Myhre to leave the Stadium of Light it looked as if the precociously talented goalkeeper would start as the club's first choice on their return to the Premiership.

But McCarthy paid £1.25m for Ipswich Town's Kelvin Davis and Alnwick returned to the role of understudy. He made five appearances when poor form cost Davis his place in the side last season, but the former boss eventually returned to his more experienced keeper.

Davis has now moved on and following reassurances from his new boss Niall Quinn, Alnwick has decided to commit his immediate future to the club.

The youngster will be in goal at Southend today and admitted his transfer request was a 'moment of madness' which he hopes to put behind him now he is established as the club's first choice.

"I have a few regrets about handing my transfer request in during the summer but I'm now the Sunderland No 1," said Alnwick, who signed a new four year deal at the club yesterday.

"I want to play week in week out. I didn't know what was going to happen (prior to Quinn coming in) and I needed to play games this season. It was borne out of frustration really but now I'm playing I'm happy.

"It was hard to talk to Kelvin (Davis) about things because I was after his place, even though we're good mates. But it was no secret I was after the No 1 shirt.

"Niall said he wanted to keep me and that Sunderland would be the best club for me in the long run, which is right as I've played the first three games of the season. I think it was just a moment of madness."

Although Alnwick is the man in possession he has no intention of becoming complacent.

Quinn has brought in Darren Ward from Crystal Palace to push his young charge - a move welcomed by Alnwick.

"He's (Ward) a good talker and he gives you little pointers before a game," confessed Alnwick. "But he keeps me on my toes as well because he is a good goalkeeper. He has played a lot of league games and has a lot of experience.

"Were both competitive in training and push each other. Even Trev Carson is doing well."

The Prudhoe-born teenager won an England U-21 call up last week and admitted it was a welcome break from club duty despite not even making the bench.

"It was good to get away and I think I needed it to get my head right and get focused for Saturday," he revealed. "I was disappointed I wasn't on the bench but it was a good experience.

"It is a big step and the lads in the group were a lot more grown up to the ones I usually go away with. It was a lot more laid back and a lot less practical jokes and hardworking. They were a good bunch of lads and I would like to go away again.

"With it being my first trip the coach (Peter Taylor) said he wasn't going to drop Scott Carson or Lee Camp. Scott has 20 caps and Lee has a few too. But he said if I can keep my nose clean he will put me in the team."

All that is missing from Alnwick's promising start to the new season is a clean sheet and a win.

He added: "The lads are desperate for a win. If you look at the first two games against Coventry and Birmingham, we were clearly the better side but we were unlucky.

"Plymouth was unacceptable but if we get this win at Southend hopefully there will be many more."