DURING the last ten months there have been 16 new arrivals at Sunderland. Craig Gordon, the most expensive and one of the first, highlights Premier League survival as proof that Roy Keane's transfer dealings have been a success.

The Black Cats have spent most of the season fighting to keep above the relegation zone, and question marks have been raised over a number of Keane's signings.

Gordon had to deal with criticism in the early months, with the doubters suggesting the record-breaking £9m price-tag was over the top.

The former Hearts No 1, however, has overcome disappointment - particularly in the aftermath of the 7-1 drubbing at Everton in November - to turn in a number of performances that have helped to keep Sunderland in the Premier League.

A number of other members of the squad are in a similar situation, having previously had little or no experience of playing in the top tier of the English game.

Of the 11 signings who cost more than £40m between them last summer, only Kieran Richardson, Andrew Cole and Ian Harte could claim to have sufficient experience, but the latter two rarely figured.

Gordon claims there is a collective sense within the dressing room that Keane's squad have proved a few people wrong this season.

He said: "It's been a challenge.

It's been difficult in parts, we've not won an awful lot of games but you come here for those kind of challenges, to prove you can survive among the best teams and the best players in the world.

"You have to come here and prove that you're good enough to play in the Premier League.

Everybody that's come up from the Championship and the other players who've been brought in have done that this season. We'll continue to show what we can do next year.

"It is one of the best leagues in the world and the competition's hard throughout the league, far greater than pretty much anywhere else in the world.

"There's no such thing as an easy game. Everyone in this league is capable of winning games so there's never a week when you're guaranteed three points. That goes for every team, whether you're at the bottom or at the top."

There is no hiding from the fact acquiring Jonny Evans (on loan), Phil Bardsley and Andy Reid in January has taken the quality at Sunderland to a new level.

And adding Evans, who should return to the defence after a hamstring problem at Bolton tomorrow, to the squad on a fulltime basis remains Keane's priority this summer, although the spending will definitely not be stopping there.

With Celtic's £10m Aiden McGeady high on the Sunderland manager's wanted list, it is more than likely the spending spree that followed the Championship title success will be topped.

"We will be able to compete for the best players (in the transfer market)," said Gordon. "I'm sure the manager's already looking for players he wants to bring in.

We have to try to improve the quality of the squad and that's the only way we're going to climb up this league and perform at the next level.

"The players we signed in January have improved the squad. I don't know if they've improved the players that were here already.

But they've improved the competition for places and that's going to improve the team.

"It was important to get a few more players in the summer, then we got good quality (players) in to improve the team in January.

They've played a big part in our second half of the season."

Cole, meanwhile, will be leaving Wearside this summer. He is out of contract and he has talked up the possibility of staying at Burnley, where he is on loan.

The 36-year-old has scored five goals in 12 appearances and said: "The reception the fans have given me has been tremendous. It has given me food for thought in terms of continuing my career here."