Sunderland have had a very mixed season in terms of results and the form of Chris Maguire this year epitomises the roller-coaster ride they have been on.

Bouncing back from a play-off final defeat was also going to present a bit of a challenge for former manager Jack Ross, and though he started reasonably well he was let go in November, with Phil Parkinson taking over and continuing the Black Cats' woeful run of form.

Two wins in 14 games increased pressure on Parkinson, and towards the end of December it looked possible that he would not continue in the dugout, with fans calling for him to be sacked.

At the same time, though, Maguire rediscovered his form and showed why Sunderland believed he was good enough to lead them to promotion by signing him in 2018.

Comments that assessed Maguire at different points in the season can be found below, and they show just how conflicted fans have felt over the 31-year-old this term.

Back in August things looked quite rosy for the north-east outfit after beating Portsmouth 2-1 at the Stadium Light. Promotion seemed a realistic possibility with both teams tipped to go up at the beginning of the season, and Maguire played a vital role in the win.

The "hero" comment sums up how a lot of supporters felt about him at the time, though he didn't always live up to his billing.

Just a couple of months later he was back in the bad books following Sunderland's 2-1 home defeat to Burton Albion.

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Parkinson was new to the job and the Black Cats were without a win in five games prior to the Brewers' visit, which included defeats to Leicester U23s and Scunthorpe in the Leasing.com trophy - this fan took out his frustration on a lacklustre Maguire, who scored a WhoScored rating of 6.1.

This was a rather infamous moment in the season where Sunderland could be found at their lowest point. Fans debated the seriousness of eating fast food post game but many were less than happy with the forward.

He quickly turned things around however and at the beginning of the new year he went of a run of five goals and four assists in ten games for the club.

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A convincing home win against Lincoln brought about a feeling that Sunderland's season was being revived, and Maguire was at the heart of their efforts - much to the delight of fans.

This superb free-kick against promotion rivals Wycombe showcased the talent he possesses and was crucial to picking up a vital three points.

A few weeks later fans were becoming more and more enamoured with the now winger, who was proving to be the key attacking outlet for his side.

Since then Maguire continued to help Sunderland solidify a place in the play-offs, with a brilliant display against Bristol Rovers in a 3-0 home win, stretching Sunderland's run to just one defeat in 14 games at the time.

Their form has tailed off since but Maguire will likely influence the outcome of the season, and could still be the key figure in promotion.

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