Sunderland will come up against several familiar faces – and some new ones – this season with a number of former managers and players currently working in the Sky Bet Championship.
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Following the publication of the 2017-18 fixtures, we’ve selected a few of those returning faces as well as some new ones to look out for once the season gets underway.
Opening-day: Super Kev returns
Kevin Phillips has been linked with the managerial vacancy at the Stadium of Light and, as it stands, he will be in the dugout on opening day. The Derby County assistant manager remains a legend on Wearside after a six-year spell yielded goals galore. Phillips immediately entered coaching at Leicester City after hanging up his boots at the King Power Stadium, taking up the role of first-team coach before moving to Derby in 2015 to become Paul Clement’s assistant manager. And he’s sure to get a warm welcome from the red and white army when the Rams travel to the SoL.
Inaugural trip: The Pirelli Stadium
Sunderland’s trip to Burton Albion on 25 November will mark a footballing first for the Black Cats as the play at the Pirelli Stadium for the very first time. The 6,900-capacity ground will be the only new stadium the Lads visit during the campaign as they take on the Brewers in the inaugural fixture between the sides. Managed by Nigel Clough, Burton joined the Football League in 2009 before earning promotion to the Championship in May 2016. The red and white army who descend on the Pirelli Stadium will also find themselves standing in the away end, as the majority of visiting fans are situated in the all-standing east stand.
Earlier that week: Steve Bruce
Just four days before facing Burton the Black Cats will come up against a familiar face as they travel to Villa Park to take on Steve Bruce. The former Sunderland boss was appointed manager of Aston Villa in October 2016 after leaving Hull City in July, and he had an immediate impact as the Villans defeated Reading in his second match in charge to register a first away win in 14 months. Prior to Bruce’s arrival, Villa sat just two points above the drop zone but after steadying the ship and guiding them to 13th place, the former Black Cats boss will be expecting his side to challenge at the very top in the upcoming campaign.
A familiar trend: Jaap Stam
A number of former Manchester United players are currently in managerial positions in England and Jaap Stam is the latest Old Trafford export to make his mark. The Dutchman enjoyed a stunning career and his start to management has followed suit, with Stam guiding Reading to the play-off final in his first season in charge. Huddersfield United would break Royals hearts in a penalty shootout but Stam’s impact was impressive nonetheless, as he became the 31st player to feature under Sir Alex Ferguson before moving into management. The Black Cats will line up against a Stam side for the first time on 2 December, before travelling to the Madejski on 14 April in their penultimate away outing.
The other one: Mick McCarthy:
The only other former Sunderland manager the Black Cats will come up against this season in the Championship is Ipswich Town’s Mick McCarthy. The former Republic of Ireland boss moved to Wearside in 2003 after leaving the international scene in 2002, and he guided the Black Cats to the title in his second full season after losing in the play-offs one year earlier. A six-year spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers followed before McCarthy moved to Ipswich Town in 2012, and he’s remained at Portman Road ever since with their best league finish – sixth – coming in 2015. Sunderland’s trip to Ipswich on 26 August will mark McCarthy’s first game against the Black Cats since December 2011 when soon-to-be Lads striker Steven Fletcher fired Wolves to a 2-1 win.
