Truth be told, it was always going to be a difficult year for Sunderland AFC. Having lost three of their best players - loanees Borini, Ki and Alonso - the Black Cats were faced with a crucial summer transfer window. Poyet spoke of development and substance, promising a new identity for one of the most curious teams in the Premier League. Things didn't exactly go to plan... Although this year's squad mirrored the previous season's in many ways, there was always the feeling that the class of 2013/14 had the ability to escape relegation buried somewhere within them. This time around, packed with a host of uninspiring new signings, the team seemed to be sliding inevitably towards the Championship. Fortunately, Dick Advocaat's arrival sparked something in a number of these new players, and they joined battle-hardened stalwarts such as Lee Cattermole and Seb Larsson to turn the season around with only a game to spare. Now it's time to pick the bones out of this year's debutants and see just how well (or poorly) they performed across the whole season. From highly-promising arrivals who never truly found their feet, to the most unassuming of heroes, here are Sunderland's 2014/15 signings ranked from worst to best.
