The 51-year-old Spaniard called time on his playing career at the Teesside club in 2008 and has admitted he was frustrated with the club’s then-manager for allegedly misleading him about his plans.

He told FourFourTwo magazine about their falling out: “He had one year left on his contract as a player, I had two.

“One summer he called to say he’d been offered the manager’s job. I congratulated him and said he’d have the dressing room’s support.

“But once that season began, he stopped counting on me and never explained it – he only gave me excuses.

“At one point I told him I thought he wasn’t being honest, and that I deserved honesty.

“If not, there was no point in me staying.

“I think it was just down to inexperience. And it wasn’t just with me – it happened with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Juninho, and Massimo Maccarone too.

“We realised the club wanted to refresh the squad. That would have been find, but I’d have preferred if they’d just told me straight.

“What I didn’t like was being told I was part of the plans, then constantly left on the bench or in the stands.

“I remember there was a Basque Country friendly I wanted to play in, but Gareth asked me to stay because he wanted me to start, then he subbed me at half-time with no explanation.

“At the end of the season, I retired.”

However, the former midfielder insisted he didn’t hold a grudge.

He said: “Years later, we crossed paths and he admitted he perhaps hadn’t handled it the best way.

“I hold no grudges.”