Who are some former Sunderland players, from many seasons ago, who are still playing to this day?
Sunderland’s history is an illustrious one, and one with plenty of Premier League tales.
Current owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is hoping to bring those days back to the Stadium of Light, with Regis Le Bris looking like the manager who may finally achieve promotion back to the top flight.
Sunderland‘s Premier League years saw plenty of players, both good bad, grace Wearside. Here we look at five from way back who are still playing to this day…
Ki Sung-yeung
South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung went on to play for both Newcastle United and Sunderland, being best known in England for his time with Swansea City.
The now 35-year-old was on loan at Sunderland from Swansea for the 2013/14 season, scoring three Premier League goals for the Black Cats.
He currently plays for FC Seoul in his native South Korea.
Craig Gordon
Sunderland broke the British record for the highest transfer fee paid for a goalkeeper in 2007, when they signed Craig Gordon from Hearts for £9million.
His five years at the club offered mixed results with the 41-year-old shot-stopper suffering injuries.
Now with Hearts, Gordon is in line to represent Scotland during this month’s Nations League fixtures.
Ondrej Celustka
A true ‘blast from the past’, hardened Czech defender Ondrej Celustka spent time on loan at Sunderland from Trabzonspor during the 2013/14 campaign.
He proved relatively useful, making 21 Premier League appearances but failing to leave that much of a lasting impression.
The 35-year-old has spent time in Germany, Turkey, and Czechia since, but is currently playing for Turkish SuperLig side Bodrum.
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Vito Mannone
Italian shot-stopper Vito Mannone, 36, was well-liked at Sunderland, making 80 appearances for the Black Cats during a four-year spell with the club.
The former Arsenal man spent time with Reading after leaving Wearside in 2017. Nowadays, Mannone is playing as a back-up goalkeeper with French Ligue 1 side Lille.
Jack Colback
Former Sunderland academy graduate Jack Colback, who was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, made his first-team debut for the Black Cats in 2008.
He went on to make 135 appearances in six years at Sunderland, then spending several years at Newcastle, then Nottingham Forest.
The 34-year-old currently plays for Sunderland’s Championship rivals QPR.