Sunderland may have struggled for several years before they were eventually relegated from the Premier League, but their countless escapes from the drop have produced some wonderful memories.

From Gus Poyet to Paolo Di Canio and Dick Advocaat, there are several former Black Cats' bosses who pulled off some miraculous moments, with Di Canio's side creating a lasting memory in the 3-0 win over Newcastle at St. James' Park in 2013.

Sam Allardyce also shared moments of glory at the Stadium of Light, and indeed was in charge during the Black Cats' last season in the top-flight that didn't end in relegation.

A 3-2 win over Chelsea at the Stadium of Light stands out for many fans, and in recent days the club has looked back on the encounter as part of their throwback series, with one goal in particular prompting a response amongst fans.

Jermain Defoe scored the winning goal, one of 15 league goals he struck that term in what proved to be one of his best spells in his career, despite having just returned from the MLS, where he featured for Toronto.

The former striker is loved in the north-east because of that, with supporters proving exactly that by reacting to the post and speaking about the Rangers man.

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Defoe was a major reason why Sunderland achieved safety that year and despite equalling his return of 15 league goals the following season, he couldn't prevent his side from the drop.

The Allardyce factor was clearly significant to their success, and the recent club tweet left one fan wondering what might have been had things worked out differently at the end of that season.

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