Sunderland entered the 2008/9 season hoping to progress on their safe but unspectacular finish the previous season. However, in what turned out to be a theme in the North East, rumours of disquiet behind the scenes and inconsistency on the pitch dogged the early part of the season before Roy Keane sensationally resigned.

Relatively unknown coach Ricky Sbragia took over, initially as caretaker. Mid-table obscurity appeared to be the norm but results worsened just as the wrong time. The Black Cats found themselves being dragged towards the relegation zone with Sbragia unable to inspire a recovery despite forcing the players to watch a re-run of one of their poorer performances. However, the goal-scoring form of Kenwyne Jones finally returned and Sunderland grabbed enough points to leave them only needing to match their relegation-threatened rivals results on the last day to survive. Both Newcastle and Middlesbrough lost and filled the two remaining spaces leaving the Mackems as the North East’s only top flight representatives for 2009/10.

Sbragia resigned at the close of the season although chairman Niall Quinn promised him a ‘job for life’ at the club in whatever form that may take. Steve Bruce replaced him in the hot seat after leaving Wigan and with American tycoon Ellis Short taking control of the club, hopes will be high on Wear-side that 2009/10 can see the club move forward and into the higher echelons of the Premier League.