All three players spent time with the Black Cats earlier in their careers, and Cooper told the club’s official website, www.safc.com: “When the chance came for me to come to Sunderland, I asked Alex, Buts and Jody what they thought, and they were more excited than I was.

“They all told me it would be a great move. They mentioned the support and the Stadium of Light and said that I would love it here.

“I was quite friendly with Alex Rae and Paul Butler and they both did not have a bad word to say about the place.”