SUNDERLAND have had nine managers in less than nine years after David Moyes departed Wearside following relegation to the Championship.

The Sunderland job has become something of a poisoned chalice in recent years, with successive managers failing to transform the club into a Premier League force.

Owners have tried different things. They have recruited young, experienced, hot-headed and calm managers, who have all failed to set the world alight over a sustained period.

Now it remains the job of the next man to take the Black Cats back to where many believe is their rightful place in the top tier.

Roy Keane was the last man to take Sunderland up from the Championship. How have his predecessors fared?

David Moyes (July 2016-May 2017)

Appointed after Sam Allardyce left to take on the England job.

Despite failures at both Manchester United and Real Sociedad, the Scot was viewed as the sort of tough figure that could solidify Premier League status.

It was hoped Moyes could perform similarly to when he helped Everton climb towards the upper half of the table. Unfortunately, poor spells in both England and Spain seem to have affected Moyes’ confidence and judgement. Sunderland were relegated without as much as a whimper.

Moyes’ last three roles have completely imploded and his stock as a manager has dropped significantly since his fantastic spell at Everton.

He may get one more chance to revive his career, but where?

VERDICT: Failure

Sam Allardyce (October 2015-July 2016)

Sam Allardyce: The man to get your club out of trouble.

Allardyce has made a name for himself over the years as a manager who can save a side in dire straits. In truth, he is much more than that, and it will forever remain a mystery as to how he would have coped in the high-pressure England job.

He was brought in to save Sunderland from the drop, which he did, before being called up to take the England post. Understandably, he couldn’t refuse England and left.

The rest, as they say, is history. Sacked amid controversy after just 67 days in charge of England, Allardyce returned to the Premier League with Crystal Palace. Here, he performed another rescue act as Sunderland fans watched their own side go down. He last night quit Palace.

Say what you like about his character, Big Sam seemed an ideal fit for Wearside.

VERDICT: Success

Dick Advocaat (March 2015-October 2015)

Another brought in to save Sunderland from the drop, Advocaat guided them to safety in 2015.

His side started the following season on a wave of relative optimism, but was unable to replicate the achievements. Winless in eight, the Dutchman resigned.

Advocaat was only ever brought in as a temporary measure - many were surprised that he stayed on longer than the first season, so in this sense, he did his job. He also quit at the right time, allowing Allardyce plenty of games to save the side from relegation.

VERDICT: Success

Gus Poyet (October 2013-March 2015)

Poyet roused a typical Sunderland fightback at the end of the 2013/14 season which preserved Premier League status by goal difference.

They even started the next campaign with relative vigour, but a disastrous run of just one victory in 12 games at the turn of the calendar year saw Ellis Short sack the fiery Uruguayan.

Poyet was meant to be the manager that Paolo di Canio proved not to be. Unfortunately, the similarities between were all too clear and it was almost a like-for-like replacement.

Sunderland failed to make any real progress and they soon turned their eye towards more experienced managers.

VERDICT: Failure

Paolo di Canio (March 2013-September 2013)

If Poyet was fiery, then di Canio was an inferno. The passionate Italian was appointed in 2013 with the club just a point above the relegation zone.

He did enough to keep Sunderland up, and will always hold a place in the hearts of fans on Wearside after his manic celebrations in a 3-0 win against Newcastle. His methods may have been enough to fire the players up to save the club from the drop, but they quickly unravelled the following season.

The Italian was fired after 13 games, following a row with the squad.

VERDICT: Failure

Martin O’Neill (December 2011-March 2013)

Lasting 15 months, Martin O’Neill was one of Sunderland’s longer appointments in recent years.

The Irishman oversaw an uncharacteristically stable season in 2011/12, when the club finished 13th. Sunderland saw a quick revival, but this was not sustained and results and performances quickly started to drop.

Once again, it was a case of a manager starting the season poorly and O’Neill quickly began to look battle-weary. His character became prickly towards the end of his tenure - a symptom of a man under pressure.

His rigid methods and inability to adapt when his team were up against it saw him sacked in March 2013.

VERDICT: Failure

Steve Bruce (June 2009-June 2011)

A Geordie, it was always going to be difficult to capture the hearts and minds of the Sunderland faithful.

Nevertheless, he didn’t do a bad job of it in his two years. In 2009/10 he secured a 13th-placed finish, as Darren Bent scored 24 league goals.

This was followed up by an even better season in 2010/11, as Sunderland finished tenth. Boasting a three-man attack in the first half of the season comprising Bent, Danny Welbeck and Asamoah Gyan, this was the Black Cats’ best finish since 2001 and remains their best to date.

Bent left in January for Aston Villa and results plummeted. Gyan’s head was turned and he left for a bumper contract with Al Ain, Welbeck returned to parent club Manchester United.

Summer recruitment was poor and the beginning of the following season was a disaster. After two wins in 13, Bruce was sacked.

VERDICT: Success

Ricky Sbragia (December 2008-May 2009)

Appointed following Keane’s departure with one remit - to keep Sunderland in the top-flight.

Ultimately, he did succeed, by the skin of his teeth. Sunderland had an upturn in results earlier in the campaign, but a late season slump led a frantic fight for survival.

They stayed up thanks to losses from all of their relegation rivals on the final day of the campaign. Sbragia chose to hand over to the reins to another when survival was ensured.

VERDICT: Success

Roy Keane (August 2006-December 2008)

Brought in to get Sunderland out of the Championship, Keane succeeded at the first attempt.

They claimed the Championship trophy as the Irishman shook up the club from top to bottom. This was followed up by Premier League survival the following term, Sunderland finishing 15th.

Keane’s uncompromising methods may have been a factor in avoiding the drop, but he also alienated players and eventually fell out with owner Short.

Nevertheless, he remains popular with fans. He kept the squad in line, even though some would argue his mechanisms were too harsh.

VERDICT: Success