After three tortuous seasons in English football’s third tier, Sunderland look to finally be gaining the momentum needed to achieve promotion back to the Championship. It’s came after massive upheaval to the club as a whole, with change to the management team, boardroom and playing staff at the Stadium of Light this season.
It’s been 14 years since Sunderland last achieved a promotion; the Championship winning 06/07 side another Black Cats squad that experienced lots of change. Let’s have a look at the starting XI that delivered promotion that year and see what they’re up to now.
GK - Marton Fulop
The Hungarian international signed from Tottenham in 2006, initially on loan, before making the move permanent shortly after. He served Sunderland well for nearly four years as both a number one and an understudy to the likes of Craig Gordon, before leaving in 2010.
The ex-Man City keeper continued playing until 2013, when he was forced to hang up his gloves to have a tumour removed from his arm. Tragically, he died from cancer in 2015, aged just 32.
RB - Stephen Wright
Scouser Wright signed for Sunderland from boyhood side Liverpool in 2002 and stayed at the Stadium of Light for six years. The defender moved on to Coventry and Brentford before returning to the North-East for a spell with Hartlepool.
His later career saw him moving around Wales, with spells at Wrexham, Rhyl, and Aberystwyth. He has now retired and works as a youth coach at Wrexham in the National League.
CB - Jonny Evans
A loanee in this Sunderland side, Evans quickly endeared himself to the Sunderland fans through some strong performances and signed on loan again for the Lads in the Premier League the season after.
Despite Sunderland’s wish to make the move permanent, Evans returned to Man Utd in 2008 and went on to become a first-teamer at Old Trafford for many years. A move to West Brom followed, before a 2018 summer transfer to Leicester as a replacement for United-bound Harry Maguire.
The Northern Irishman, now 33, is still going strong in the Premier League for Leicester, whilst also closing in on 100 caps for his country.
CB - Danny Collins
‘For Brazil he could play Danny Collins…”
Another fan-favourite on Wearside, Collins signed from Chester in 2004 and was lauded by fans for his no-nonsense defensive behaviour. He stayed with the club for a half-decade, leaving for Premier League new boys Stoke in 2009.
He went on to fashion a decent Football League career for himself before announcing his retirement in 2019 after three years at Grimsby. These days, he can be heard providing co-commentary for Sunderland’s match on safctv.
LB - Nyron Nosworthy
To say this squad was filled with cult heroes would be a bit of an understatement. Big Nyron is another who is still very fondly remembered on Wearside.
Signed from Gillingham on a free in 2005, Nosworthy was thrust in to action after a serious injury to Stephen Wright. He managed to largely keep his place in the side for a couple of years after that in both the Premier League and the Championship, despite some very hairy moments.
Nosworthy retired in 2016, aged 36.
CM - Carlos Edwards
Trinidad international Carlos Edwards wasn’t at Sunderland for a great amount of time, but he managed to write his name into Wearside legend in his limited time here. He’ll always be remembered for his 30-yard thunderstrike against Burnley which just about clinched promotion, ‘from the banks of the River Wear…’
The 42 year-old, amazingly, is still playing, turning out for Bury Town in the Isthmian League.
CM - Grant Leadbitter
A Sunderland academy graduate and boyhood fan, Grant Leadbitter broke into the Black Cats’ first team in 2005 and largely stayed there until his departure in 2009. He had a few memorable moments, including his rocket against Arsenal remembered largely for the celebration, running over to where his Dad’s ashes were scattered a few weeks prior.
After a stint down South with Ipswich, Leadbitter returned to the North-East with Middlesbrough, cementing himself as a hero on Teesside in seven years with the club. He’s now back at Sunderland, hoping to lead the club to another promotion.
CM - Dean Whitehead
Midfielder Whitehead was another important member of Roy Keane’s promotion-winning squad, having also been promoted with Sunderland two years prior.
His partnership in the middle with Leadbitter was full of tenacity and workrate, which continued in the Premier League as Whitehead continued to play regularly for the Lads.
He eventually moved on, turning out for Stoke, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield before moving on to coaching with the Terriers. He has most recently worked as a coach as part of Sam Rickett’s backroom team at Shrewsbury.
ST - Daryl Murphy
Irish striker Murphy spent five less-than-prolific years at Sunderland before he was snapped up by Celtic in 2010. He failed to shine at Parkhead at a time when Rangers had the beating of them, and he was soon back in England with Ipswich Town.
His career came into its own in the later stages, with a couple of very good seasons for the Tractor Boys. It was his form here that took him back to the North-East with recently-relegated Newcastle, who he helped fire to promotion in 2017.
He’s now back in Ireland, playing for Waterford in the League of Ireland.
ST - Anthony Stokes
A highly-rated young striker at the time, Anthony Stokes’ career unfortunately came to be defined by off-the-field incidents rather than his talents on the pitch.
Much like Daryl Murphy, Stokes left Sunderland to go to Celtic, having much more success with the Bhoys than Murphy did, however. He stayed at Parkhead for six years, winning numerous titles in that time. Spells in Turkey, Greece and Azerbaijan followed, with Stokes currently a free agent after leaving Livingston.
ST - Dwight Yorke
The most recognisable name on the teamsheet to any neutral or casual fan, Dwight Yorke had already fashioned himself an impressive career with Aston Villa and Man United when Roy Keane came calling in 2006.
A striker by trade, Yorke wound down his career as a defensive midfielder for Sunderland, finally hanging up his boots in 2009.
He’s had an eventful time post-retirement. The Trinidadian completed his coaching badges and became a pundit with Sky Sports. In 2018, it was announced he had narrowly avoided bankruptcy after paying off a £1.5m debt to HMRC.
Comments