Fans have been voting for their all-time XI on safc.com - and the full line-up has now been confirmed.
GOALKEEPER - JIMMY MONTGOMERY
Sunderland's all-time record appearance maker, goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery made his debut as a 17-year-old in 1961 and went on to play 627 times for the club.
He was an ever-present four times - including the 1964 promotion season - and helped Sunderland to win the FA Cup in 1973 with a superb double save to deny Leeds' Trevor Cherry and Peter Lorimer.
He received a 'Legend' award from then-FA Cup sponsors AXA, who described the save as 'the greatest moment in FA Cup history'.
Monty's final appearance for the club came in the League Cup against Manchester United in 1976 and he was released at the age of 33 at the end of that season.
The keeper had a loan spell at Southampton and also went on to serve Birmingham and Nottingham Forest, where he won a European Cup medal as an unused substitute in 1980.
He returned in 1980 for a second spell at Sunderland but never made another senior appearance.
Never capped by England, 'Monty' came closest to international action when he was named as an unused sub against France at Wembley in 1969.
Also Nominated: Johnny Mapson, Mart Poom, Thomas Sorensen, Tony Norman.
LEFT BACK - LEN ASHURST
Liverpool-born defender Len Ashurst holds Sunderland's appearance record for an outfield player with a total of 458.
He was signed from Prescot Cables on part-time forms on 27th December 1957 and made his debut the following September.
The left-back was ever-present as the team won promotion in 1963-64 and missed only two games between April 1960 and November 1964.
He stayed at Roker Park for 12 years before joining Hartlepool in 1971, returning to Sunderland as manager and leading the team to the 1985 League Cup final.
He also managed Hartlepool, Gillingham, Sheffield Wednesday, Newport County, Cardiff City and the Kuwaiti national team, as well as coaching in Qatar and spells with Blackpool (as assistant manager), Weymouth and Weston-Super-Mare.
Also Nominated: Joe Bolton, Hugh Wilson, Michael Gray, Martin Harvey.
CENTRE BACK - CHARLIE HURLEY
Voted 'Player of the Century' by supporters in the club's Centenary year, Charlie Hurley acquitted himself superbly in the red and white of Sunderland.
Signed from Millwall for £18,000 in September 1957, Hurley debuted against Blackpool the following month and went on to make 401 appearances for the club, scoring 26 goals, many from towering bullet headers from set-pieces.
Hurley finished second in the 1964 Footballer of the Year voting to West Ham's Bobby Moore as he led Sunderland to promotion to the top flight.
He moved to Bolton Wanderers in 1969, retiring three years later to become manager of Reading. Sunderland's former training ground was named the Charlie Hurley Centre in his honour.
Internationally, Hurley is Sunderland's most-capped player, earning 38 of his 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland whilst with the club.
Also Nominated: Dave Watson, Colin Todd, Gary Bennett.
CENTRE BACK - SHAUN ELLIOTT
Shaun Elliott turned pro in July 1974 and made his debut versus Wrexham in the FA Cup in January 1977.
A pacy central defender, Elliott won promotion with Sunderland in 1980, winning a 'B' cap with England the same year, and served as captain of his club.
Robbed of a place in the 1985 League Cup Final by suspension, he made a total of 368 appearances for Sunderland before moving on to Norwich City in August 1986 for £175,000.
He later played for Blackpool, Colchester, Gateshead, Bishop Auckland, Whitley Bay and Durham City.
Interestingly, Elliott also spent a summer with US side Seattle Sounders in 1981 while still with Sunderland.
Also Nominated: Dave Watson, Colin Todd, Gary Bennett.
RIGHT BACK - CHRIS MAKIN
Chris Makin made 146 appearances for the Lads between August 1997 and March 2001, scoring twice.
A classy full-back, Makin came through the youth ranks at Oldham Athletic and established himself as a first-team regular before joining Marseille on a Bosman free transfer in August 1996.
He spent a year in France before moving to Wearside, where he became a popular member of the team under the leadership of Peter Reid.
Makin joined Ipswich Town for a fee of £1.4m and played 92 games for the Tractor Boys before going on to represent Leicester, Derby, Reading and Southampton.
He retired through injury in summer 2008.
Also Nominated: Jack Hedley, Cec Irwin, Dick Malone, John Kay.
LEFT MIDFIELD - JULIO ARCA
The versatile Argentinian was virtually unknown when he arrived on Wearside in July 2000 having played two seasons with Argentinos Juniors in his homeland.
He was aged just 19 and faced adjusting to an alien way of life with only a few words of English at his disposal.
But Arca, who now plies his trade with Middlesbrough, soon formed a special bond with Sunderland and still lives in the city.
The Quilmes-born player made 167 appearances for the club, scoring a total of 23 goals which included some spectacular strikes.
He joined Boro for £1.75m in July 2006 and has made almost 150 appearances for the Teesiders.
Also Nominated: Dennis Tueart, Billy Hughes, Allan Johnston, George Mulhall.
CENTRE MIDFIELD - KEVIN BALL
With 388 career appearances for Sunderland, long-serving hardman Kevin Ball more than repaid the £350,000 the club paid Portsmouth for him in July 1990.
A no-nonsense and often fearsome customer, Ball made his debut against Spurs the following month and went on to become captain following Paul Bracewell's departure in 1992.
Operating in either defence or midfield, Ball established himself as one of Sunderland's best-ever captains, leading the club to promotion in 1996 and again in 1999.
Ball joined Fulham for £200,000 in December 1999 after representing Sunderland on 388 occasions. He also served with distinction at Burnley before returning to Sunderland as youth team coach.
Also Nominated: Jim Baxter, Gordon Armstrong, Ian Porterfield
CENTRE MIDFIELD - LEN SHACKLETON
Len Shackleton - often known as 'The Clown Prince of Soccer' - signed for Sunderland from rivals Newcastle United in February 1948 for a fee of £20,050.
Rejected by Arsenal as a youngster, Shackleton arrived at Newcastle via Sunderland before moving to Wearside and hitting exactly 100 goals in nine years in the red and white.
Tales of sitting on the ball during games weren't unknown as Shackleton became known as one of the game's best-loved jokers.
He retired from football in August 1957 and later carved out a successful career as a journalist.
Shackleton made five appearances for England, netting a stunning goal against then-World Champions West Germany.
Also Nominated: Jim Baxter, Gordon Armstrong, Ian Porterfield.
RIGHT MIDFIELD - NICKY SUMMERBEE
Summerbee established himself as a huge fans' favourite after joining Sunderland for £1m in November 1997.
Originally a trainee at Swindon, the winger followed in the footsteps of dad Mike when he joined Manchester City in June 1994, making 156 appearances for the Maine Road outfit before moving to Wearside.
Summerbee played a big role under Peter Reid, playing 113 games in total for the Lads.
He left for Bolton on a free transfer in January 2001 and later played for a number of clubs including Nottingham Forest, Leicester and Bradford.
Also Nominated: Jackie Mordue, Billy Bingham, Brian Usher, Len Duns.
STRIKER - KEVIN PHILLIPS
Kevin Phillips prodigious finishing ability made him Sunderland's current post-war record goalscorer.
Phillips joined the club from Watford in July 1997 and went on to score 134 goals in just 239 appearances.
That haul included a 35-goal season in 1997-98 followed by 30 in 1999-00, earning him the European Golden Boot.
Phillips joined Southampton for £3.25m in August 2003 and has since played for Aston Villa, West Brom and Birmingham.
Also Nominated: Niall Quinn, Bobby Gurney, Raich Carter.
STRIKER - BRIAN CLOUGH
Middlesbrough-born striker Brian Clough went on to have a hugely successful career in management after seeing his playing days cruelly cut short.
Clough scored a staggering 204 goals in 222 matches for his hometown club and added a further 54 in just 61 outings for Sunderland.
Unfortunately, a cruciate ligament injury sustained against Bury on Boxing Day 1962 curtailed his playing career before Clough moved into management.
He would later win two European Cups and two Division One titles as well as a host of other honours.
Also Nominated: Niall Quinn, Bobby Gurney, Raich Carter.
