Darren Bent says it was "difficult" knowing one of his goals helped consign Sunderland to relegation on Saturday.

Former Black Cats striker Bent nodded home Burton Albion's late equaliser in a crunch clash at the Stadium of Light, before Liam Boyce converted Ben Turner's cross in injury time to seal a dramatic triumph for the Brewers.

The win for Albion confirmed that Sunderland would be playing third-tier football next season for only the second time in their history.

Bent received a chorus of boos from some home supporters as he came on as a late substitute for Burton, shortly before scoring that crucial equaliser.

Darren Bent equalises for Burton Albion against Sunderland
Darren Bent equalises for Burton Albion against Sunderland

While he admits it was a strange experience to be back at the Stadium of Light in those circumstances, the Derby County loanee knows his role for the day was to keep the Brewers in the survival hunt.

"It was strange, I wasn't going to celebrate until I took the amount of stick I took, which was why I ended up celebrating," he told the BBC's Match of the Day 2 Extra on Sunday.

"At the end of the day, being a Burton Albion player, it was either us or them and I've got a job to do.

"But it was really strange, seeing so many empty seats.

"When I played there, it was always full, the atmosphere was always great.

"But to see so many empty seats and how uneasy the fans were, you could sense it when we stepped into the building that there was an atmosphere that just wasn't nice to be honest.

"Obviously to score one of the goals that sent them down was difficult."

Sunderland were relegated by Burton Albion
Sunderland were relegated by Burton Albion

Sunderland's relegation was their second on the bounce following their drop from the Premier League in 2017.

For Bent, the wider impact of that situation on the club is "the real sad thing".

"One thing about being at Burton, the fans have been onside, they've been fantastic for us," he added.

Darren Bent celebrates scoring Burton Albion's equaliser at Sunderland

"But we watched clips of Sunderland and how they've been, the empty seats and how the fans have got on their back.

"It's horrible to see a football club the size of Sunderland to be in the position they're in.

"I saw a lot of old friends there, people that work for the club, and you start to worry for them, because if you go down again, you talk about people losing jobs.

"That's ultimately the real sad thing about when football clubs go from the Premier League to the Championship to League One.

"So many of these people that have been there for years and years could potentially lose their job."