Sunderland is back.

Who: Sunderland Association FC
Nickname: The Black Cats
Established: 1879
Ground: Stadium of Light
Capacity: 49,000

Road to the Premiership: A 5-0 thumping of Luton Town on the final day of the season saw The Black Cats clinch the Championship trophy. It was a remarkable feat given the club began the season with four league defeats (and an embarrassing early exit from the Carling Cup at the hands of Bury).


But all that changed when former United legend Roy Keane arrived on 28 August. The Irishman had an immediate effect and set about rebuilding the team to suit his vision. By the end of the season, Keane had brought in 13 new faces (including loan deals) and discarded six. An impressive 17-game unbeaten run, which stretched from 1 January until 21 April, was also key to The Black Cats' success.