The year Colin became a Sunderland player - re-lived by the man himself 25 years on

A Sunderland fan has re-lived the year when he became an SAFC ‘player’.

Colin Lynch, then 29, was chosen from 10,000 supporters to join SAFC and become a Premier League footballer in 2001.

The Jarrow financial advisor rubbed shoulders with the club’s stars and was even interviewed by Sky TV.

Colin was handed the squad number of 73 and got to warm up before the game. He admitted in 2001: “I put a lot of effort into the warm-up, running up and down I couldn’t walk when I got up the next morning.”

He said players had been brilliant with him. He enjoyed “a few Diet Cokes” with them on Newcastle’'s Quayside and a day out paintballing.

We ran his story last week to trigger reader memories and it worked wonders. We wanted to hear from Colin in 2026 and he got in touch with us after he spotted our story.

“It was an amazing year. So much happened, so many stories,” he told us.

One particular memory was ‘spilling pints of Guinness over the players wives’. Another cherished highlight was Niall Quinn ‘arranging for me to travel to Ireland for the Ireland v Denmark game’.

Colin also got to train with players on the pitch during his season to remember.

Colin, now lives in Chester le Street and works both as a business start-up coach and mentor, and as a pub, club and care home singer.

He has special reason to remember the day his ‘signing’ was announced as it fell on a historic and tragic day.

“Weirdly enough if you look at the date it was announced on Sky News (we had all been on Soccer AM) and in the papers. It was the day of the Twin Towers September 11th 2001. I was with all the club staff as it all unfolded on the TV,” Colin said.

Colin had only positive memories of his year in the spotlight and they included spending time with the radio presenter Simon Crabtree. “He was brilliant with me and took me to a few away games to do joint commentary on Metro Radio with the one and only Gary Rowell - another great experience

“Gavin McCann, Kevin Kilbane and Darren Williams were all amazing with me as was the main man Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips.”

“I had my player photo up in the players lounge sat in the players family seats on match days. I drank with them all and went to the Xmas party - loads of stuff.”

He described it as ‘great fun, great year, great craic and something I will remember until I leave this spinning rock.”