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We’ve checked in a few times over the years, but Charlton play off defeat in 1998 was the hardest to handle in the moment for me. Fortunately the following season compensated for it, but still…

Our American adventure almost started earlier with Brad Freidel, and again with Stuart Holden – but got well and truly underway with the brilliant but injury-plagued Claudio Reyna. It  stumbled somewhat with the enthusiastic but goal shy Jozy Altidore – but the stars and stripe were fully redeemed with the top boy that is Lynden Gooch.

Gray’s not that common a surname. In fact, only 7 people called Gray have played for Sunderland in our history. As luck would have it, three were at the same time. Gray (P), Gray (Mi) and Gray (Ma). Amazing.

We all thought David Moyes looked and walked like a managerial angel, but it didn’t take us long to get wise.

And one of the first things the Devil did was returning Yann M’Vila back to Ruben Kazan – despite the world class midfielder sitting, waiting for the call and begging for the club to answer the phone. Mindblowing.

The icing on the cake of Jermain Defoe’s stunner against the mags all those years ago? Tim Krul sharing a little joke with JD on the way off the pitch at half time. Yeah, you’ve just conceded against your rivals, probably not the time to have a laugh, but that’s them isn’t it. Moral of the story? Don’t by Krul.

Remember the rumours going round in the early 90s that youth team striker David was the younger brother of Ian. That gave us some hope. Turned out he wasn’t any relation at all, but we were all quick to believe it. Pre-internet, those rumours were difficult to immediately dispel.

There’ll have been a few in the corridors of Sunderland power back in August 2022, when rumours were swirling about Alex Neil – only to be denied, denied and denied again. And then a press conference was postponed, and the following day the Sunderland head coach was watching Stoke City at Ewood Park. Still, glad to see it all worked out for him, and I took absolutely zero pleasure in Patto chucking one in to deny him the chance to slither out at Wembley in the play offs. Could have been a Sunderland legend.

Infamously played over the Tannoy at Ayresome Park as James Lawrence warmed up for his Sunderland debut, having spent a holiday at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. There’s more than a hint of irony there, given who the Boro stadium announcer of the 90s and 2000s was.

You wanted to give Moyes’ signings the benefit of the doubt, and Donald Love had some pedigree, having come from Manchester United. But then you saw him play, realised who’d been his manager at Manchester United, and it all made sense. Nice lad by all accounts, struggled in the red and white.

Was supposed to be the successor to Niall Quinn. A French international striker in the prime of his career – on paper it was brilliant. On grass it was absolutely not. One goal, in a league cup defeat at Sheff Wed, and that was it. Au revoir.

Salis Abdul Samed was supposed to be the Championship Player of the Season last year. Champions League pedigree, he joined on loan but barely got a sniff due to injuries, injuries and more injuries. He finally got a run out against Stoke in a dismal FA Cup tie, and gave away a goal – and is best remembered for booting the ball into the crowd at the Riverside… and seemingly being the ultimate ‘vibesman’ in last season’s squad. Honourable mentions to Leo Hjelde and Simon Moore on that score.

Billy’s Shoes was a famed footwear store in town in the 70s – owned, of course, by Billy Hughes. Whether the King ever visited is unknown, but he was a fashionable chap Billy, so no doubt there were some blue suede options in there at some point.

As far as away kits go, last season’s was a cracker – bringing back memories of the 1990 play off win at the landfill, and we scored another brilliant win in it this season just gone. If our new away kit is as half as memorable, we’re in for a brilliant season!

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