Alex Neil has Sunderland in the League One play-offs and fighting to take their spot back in the Championship, but where are the Black Cats’ last five transfers under Jack Ross now?
Ross only spent 17-months at the Stadium of Light from May 2018 and October 2019. His tenure came to a halt after failing to seal promotion in his only full season, then suffered a stuttered start that left Stewart Donald expecting more from the league’s biggest budget.
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Phil Parkinson and Lee Johnson would spend time in charge of the north east outfit before Neil’s appointment in February 2022. Johnson had Sunderland third in the standings at the time of his dismissal, just two points off the top spot, but exited after losing 6-0 at Bolton.
Ross suffered his biggest defeat against Peterborough in a 3-0 loss in August 2019. It was one of just seven defeats he oversaw from 57 League One fixtures in charge. But losing in the 2018/19 League One play-off final to Charlton Athletic 2-1 made Ross a marked man.
Donald still supported Ross in what would be his last transfer window as Sunderland boss. They made five permanent deals, plus loan moves for Marc McNulty and Laurens De Bock. Yet only two of Ross’ last permanent Sunderland transfers are still with the Black Cats now.
Conor McLaughlin enjoying retirement after short Sunderland spell under Jack Ross
Conor McLaughlin joined Sunderland as their first transfer under Ross in the summer 2019 market. The right-back moved to the Stadium of Light for free following Millwall releasing him, as Ross sought to provide competition for Luke O’Nien having axed Adam Matthews.
A 43-cap former Northern Ireland international, McLaughlin arrived boasting considerable experience at both League One and Championship levels. Ross immediately leaned on that to open the campaign, but McLaughlin lost out under Parkinson and later under Johnson.
Sunderland released McLaughlin two years after his transfer under Ross, before he joined Fleetwood Town later in 2021. But the veteran spent just three months at Highbury before leaving in January 2022. He remained without a club until April, at which point he retired.
Sunderland rarely benefitting from Jack Ross’ transfer for Lee Burge now
Ross moved early to seal a deal for Lee Burge in what would be his last transfer window at Sunderland. The goalkeeper followed within days of the Black Cats finalising McLaughlin’s arrival, putting pen to paper on a contract having been released by Coventry City that year.
Burge is still at the Stadium of Light now, but he is out of contract this summer and out of favour under Neil. Anthony Patterson has taken over first-choice status from Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, who ousted Burge upon moving to the north east on loan from Bayern Munich.
Neil is yet to unleash Burge for a single second, with the 29-year-old’s last third-tier outing coming on August 17. He also featured in three of the Black Cats’ Carabao Cup ties under Johnson, while guarding their net in a 1-0 FA Cup first-round defeat at home to Mansfield.
Jordan Willis among Jack Ross’ last Sunderland transfers still at the club now
Jordan Willis also remains at Sunderland now from Ross’ last transfer window in charge. He, like Burge, is also out of contract this summer, having only agreed a two-year contract upon joining from Coventry against interest from Championship clubs, per Chronicle Live.
Burge played a key role in convincing Willis to follow him to the Stadium of Light in 2019. Ross and Parkinson would then revel in the centre-half’s ability during their tenures, with the 27-year-old amassing 60 appearances across all competitions up until February 2021.
Willis has not featured for Sunderland in over a year after a nightmare spell rehabilitating from rupturing his patella tendon. The injury was expected to sideline him for six months, but a second rupture after surgery would rule the defender out until the summer of 2022.
Joel Lynch now at Crawley Town after Sunderland axed Jack Ross transfer
Joel Lynch only spent a year at Sunderland after joining in a free transfer from QPR under Ross in 2019. The Black Cats axed the centre-back after his debut season at the Stadium of Light, having only played 21 games in all competitions under both Ross and Parkinson.
No club would pick up the one-cap Wales star for 14-months before Crawley Town offered Lynch a return to the game last September. He is under contract with the League Two side until 2024, but has drifted in and out of the Reds’ backline to make 24 fourth-tier outings.
George Dobson now at Charlton Athletic after key role in Jack Ross’ Sunderland
George Dobson enjoyed a key role in Ross’ Sunderland midfield after a transfer from Walsall for an undisclosed fee. He continued to command a starting role under Parkinson, too, in his debut season. But the start of his second season would see Dobson fall out of favour.
The 24-year-old midfielder only featured in five League One fixtures before leaving on loan for Wimbledon in January 2021. Charlton Athletic later swooped in the summer to seal his free transfer to The Valley, where Dobson made 38 League One appearance this season.
Dobson started each of his outings but he only offered one goal and one assist as Charlton finished in 13th-place. It took the Harold Wood-born talent until April 9 to open his goals account against Rotherham United. His only assist came on October 20 against Plymouth.
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