That begs the question – where would the Black Cats lie in League One IF the table had reset on the day the 52-year-old arrived on Wearside? Impressively, Sunderland have the best defensive record in the third-tier since he was appointed as boss. Scroll and click through the pages to see the table in full:
5. Bolton Wanderers (19th)
P15 W4 D4 L7 GF17 GA29 GD-12 = 16 points Photo: Alex Livesey
6. Fleetwood Town (18th)
P14 W4 D5 L5 GF19 GA19 GD0 = 17 points Photo: Dave Thompson
7. Bristol Rovers (17th)
P14 W5 D3 L6 GF16 GA23 GD-7 = 18 points Photo: Pete Norton
8. Rochdale (16th)
P15 W6 D0 L9 GF20 GA25 GD-5 = 18 points Photo: Charlotte Tattersall