Sunderland would love Kevin Phillips now

Sunderland have created many cult heroes for the reason that flip of the century, however arguably one among their greatest-ever gamers was signed simply earlier than in 1997.

Having simply been relegated to the Championship after a depressing marketing campaign below Peter Reid, he moved to the switch market to attempt to bolster his squad within the hopes of creating their keep within the second division as brief as attainable.

Would you are taking Kevin Phillips again now?

Though it did take a few years, in 1999 they completely demolished the league on their method again to the Premier League.

It was then when this aforementioned signing actually started to shine, as Kevin Phillips grew to become a Black Cats hero.

Of their first season again within the Premier League they managed to fly as much as a seventh-placed end, little doubt aided by the goalscoring exploits of the £325k marksman.

He grew to become the primary Sunderland participant since Brian Clough within the early Nineteen Sixties to attain 30 targets in a season. This marketing campaign noticed him develop into nonetheless the one Englishman to ever win the European Golden Shoe.

They might preserve the same position the season following, the place he would once more notch 14 Premier League targets in one other stable marketing campaign.

Immediately he was lauded on Wearside as one of many biggest goal-scorer of their fashionable period, and regardless of his rising pedigree, caught round on the Stadium of Gentle regardless of their diminishing finishes.

It solely took till their relegation in 2003 that he finally left, revealing that he had twice tried to depart already.

He exited famend throughout the world as a “legend”, which is what his former membership dubbed him on their Twitter account.

Regardless of having a strong start, Tony Mowbray can be wishing he had a participant of his ilk up entrance for him now, particularly given the ever-growing absence of Ellis Simms.

They’ve scored simply 19 targets of their 15 Championship matches, however with Phillips up entrance, he would certainly propel that quantity and their 13th-placed league place too.

He can be excellent for the present facet, as he was arguably one of many biggest gamers the membership has ever seen. Supporters would relish the chance to see him in motion only one extra time.