Kevin Phillips, Jim Montgomery, Niall Quinn – Top 10 Sunderland legends every fan should know
Sunderland are one of the most successful clubs in English football history and have fielded some of the game’s icons in the North East.
This season, the Black Cats have acquired some reputable names, with Granit Xhaka signing for the Stadium of Light club.
Indeed, he and several others could etch their names into Sunderland folklore if they bring success to Wearside.
Here, Mackem News looks at 10 players that every Black Cats supporter should know, including Kevin Phillips.
Kevin Phillips – Striker (1997 – 2003)
Appearances: 235
Goals: 130
Phillips watched on as Sunderland beat Coventry City in the play-offs and will be proud of what the North East club have achieved so far this term.
The striker is not only the greatest Black Cats striker of the modern era, but also one of the most prolific English forwards in the Premier League.
In the second tier, Phillips bagged 52 goals in two seasons before making history in the Premier League by scoring 30 goals in the 1999/00 campaign.
Given that Alan Shearer and Harry Kane are the only English players to match that feat, he goes down as one of the greatest players to wear the red and white stripes.
Read more: Sunderland’s top five managers of all time – Roy Keane and FA Cup winner
Raich Carter – Forward (1931 – 1945)
Appearances: 245
Goals: 128
When you get your own mural painted, then you know you must have done something special for your football club.
The mural of Carter can be seen on the gable end of the Blue House pub, which is situated in Hendon.
Born in Sunderland, the forward captained the Roker Men to their first-ever FA Cup trophy in 1937, having led them to the league title a year earlier.
Furthermore, Carter was capped 13 times for England, highlighting how good a player he truly was.
Charlie Buchan – Forward (1911 – 1925)
Appearances: 380
Goals: 223
There are not many players with better goalscoring records than Buchan, who achieved some monumental numbers while on Wearside.
Behind only Bobby Gurney, the forward is second on the list of Sunderland’s all-time top goalscorers.
However, with 209 league goals to his name, he has scored the most league goals in the North East club’s history.
Buchan also worked as a sports journalist and commentator and passed away in 1960.
Jim Montgomery – Goalkeeper (1960 – 1977)
Appearances: 627
The only goalkeeper to make the list is Montgomery, who is the Wearsiders’ all-time leading appearance maker.
For those less familiar with the shot-stopper, search for the heroic double save he pulled off against Leeds United in the 1972 FA Cup final.
Indeed, if it were not for Montgomery, then Sunderland may not have won their second FA Cup.
The 81-year-old is still involved with the Black Cats and holds the honorary position of club ambassador.
Len Shackleton – Forward (1948 – 1957)
Appearances: 348
Goals: 118
Known as the ‘Clown Prince of Football’, Shackleton was famed for his unpredictability and ingenious attacking play.
Furthermore, he was one of the most entertaining players to watch in the post-war era, bringing trickery to the North East.
In 2000, Shackleton passed away, but will forever be remembered as one of the great entertainers in English football.
Niall Quinn – Forward (1996 – 2002) *Later Sunderland chairman
Appearances: 203
Goals: 67
While his scoring record is not as impressive as many others on this list, there was more than just numbers.
Alongside Phillips, Quinn forged a definitive little and large connection that set the trend for future strike partnerships.
After his playing career, the Irishman became Sunderland chairman and even held the role of manager for a few games.
In 2013, he was given Freedom of the City for his outstanding contributions in the North East and has been seen watching on at Wembley.
Bobby Gurney – Forward (1926 – 1939)
Appearances: 390
Goals: 228
As Sunderland’s all-time leading goalscorer, Gurney simply had to make the list of top 10 legends.
Like Carter, he was also part of the team that lifted the league title and the FA Cup within the space of a year.
Moreover, Gurney scored against Preston North End in the 1937 FA Cup final, highlighting that he was a man for the big occasion.
Gary Rowell – Forward (1972 – 1984)
Appearances: 303
Goals: 102
Having scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United in 1979, he affirmed himself as a fan favourite on Wearside.
Rowell was nicknamed the ‘Rowell Rocket’ for the powerful left-footed strikes he unleashed for the North East outfit.
The 68-year-old has remained in football since and has contributed to radio commentary and newspaper columns.
Dave Halliday – Striker (1925 – 1929)
Appearances: 166
Goals: 165
Halliday must boast one of the greatest appearances-to-goals ratios in history, averaging almost a goal a game.
To this day, he is the most efficient goalscorer to grace Wearside, and it is unlikely that his record will ever be matched.
He went on to play for Arsenal and Man City before passing away in 1970, aged 68.
Charlie Hurley – Centre-back (1957 – 1969)
Appearances: 402
Goals: 26
In 1979, Hurley was named as Sunderland’s Player of the Century, meaning that it is only right that he closes the list.
His leadership and commitment to the cause will always be remembered and those who watched him simply adored him.
The King passed away in 2024 at the age of 87, but defined what it meant to play for Sunderland.
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