Sat 4th Oct - Stadium of Light
Last updated: 1st July 2008
Quinn: Former Ireland international
Chairman Niall Quinn insists Sunderland will always look beyond Ireland when they go into the transfer market.
Quinn and manager Roy Keane, who were international team-mates for the Republic of Ireland, are working to bolster the Black Cats' squad this summer.
The club's financial backing comes from the mainly Irish Drumaville consortium, which has helped the Premier League side establish a new fan-base in Eire.
Keane's current squad includes nine men who have been capped at senior level by Ireland - while the Sunderland boss has also been linked with moves for Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ireland, Damian Duff, Aiden McGeady and Richard Dunne this summer.
But the Wearsiders, who head across the Irish Sea for pre-season games against Cobh Ramblers, Athlone Town and Shamrock Rovers, are determined to recruit the best players they can - regardless of their nationality.
Quinn told the Sunderland Echo: "We do have a big Irish connection but we don't purposely go out to sign Irish players.
"If there were two players, we would go for the one we wanted the most - not the Irish one.
"We have scouting systems in Ireland at all levels, which we did not have before, and we think we will see the benefit of that in years to come.
"It's respecting the clubs, the young players, the parents, the FAI.
"We have a close relationship with football in Ireland. We have paid a record fee for an Irish player (from the Eircom League).
"We would like to continue to nourish the link between Ireland and Sunderland. It makes us a bigger international club, because we are not relying on people within 20 miles of us."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 18th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Sunderland vs Newcastle |
| Saturday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Portsmouth |
| Saturday 15th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Sunderland |
| Sunday 23rd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 16:00 | Sunderland vs West Ham |
| Saturday 29th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Bolton |
| Saturday 6th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Man Utd vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 13th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs West Brom |
| Saturday 20th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Sunderland |
| Friday 26th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Blackburn |
| Sunday 28th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 14:00 | Everton vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 10th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 17th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Aston Villa |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 4th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 1 - 1 Arsenal | |
| Saturday 27th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Tuesday 23rd September | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 Northampton | |
| Saturday 20th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 2 - 0 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 13th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 1 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Sunday 31st August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 0 - 3 Man City | |
| Wednesday 27th August | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Nottm Forest 1 - 2 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 23rd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Tottenham 1 - 2 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 16th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 0 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Thursday 7th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Athlone Town 0 - 6 Sunderland | |
| Wednesday 30th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Nottm Forest 0 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Monday 28th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Cobh Ramblers 0 - 4 Sunderland | |
| Wednesday 23rd July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Vitoria Setubal 1 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Sunday 20th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Sporting 1 - 3 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 19th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Arbroath 1 - 3 Sunderland | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Middlesbrough | 7 | 9 |
| 13 | Wigan Athletic | 7 | 8 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 7 | 8 |
| 15 | Everton | 7 | 8 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 7 | 7 |
The first weekend of October in the Premier League finds harmony in performance analysis.
Grant Leadbitter, Ross Turnbull and Hull grabbed Chris Kamara's attention over the weekend.
Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn wants Roy Keane to take the club and his own career to the next level.
Roy Keane has backed veteran Dwight Yorke to play an important role at Sunderland this season.
Roy Keane wants his Sunderland side to begin emulating the achievements of Premier League new-boys Hull.
Carlisle have signed experienced midfielder Graham Kavanagh on loan for a month from Sunderland.
Roy Keane has taken a swipe at Arsenal's youth policy, claiming they do not deserve credit for developing their young talent.