While the Black Cats may find themselves in the third tier at present, they rank highly in the all-time top flight table – as calculated by Sky Sports.
Scroll down and click through the pages to see exactly where the Black Cats rank, and how they compare to their local rivals:
9. 17th - Sheffield United
Top-flight points gained since 1889: 3216 Photo: Ross Kinnaird
10. 16th - Derby County
Top-flight points gained since 1889: 3303 Photo: Marc Atkins
11. 15th - Wolves
Top-flight points gained since 1889: 3475 Photo: David Rogers
12. 14th - Sheffield Wednesday
Top-flight points gained since 1889: 3552 Photo: Nathan Stirk