1. Costel Pantilimon - Free Transfer From Man City
Sunderland's Player of the Season award became a two horse race long before survival was confirmed, and if it weren't for Seb Larsson's superhuman desire to run his guts out on a consistent basis, Costel Pantilimon would surely have the trophy in his gigantic mitts. The 6'8" Romanian stepped in to fill poor Vito Mannone's shoes after a catastrophic pair of performances, the first a humiliating 8-0 loss to Southampton, and gradually established his status as one of the finest goalkeepers in the league. A popular figure at Manchester City for his shot-stopping and freakish cross-catching ability, he carried these traits over to Wearside without skipping a beat. Sunderland have always had an uncanny ability to catch goalkeepers at their peak, fielding Sorenson, Poom, Mignolet and Mannone during the best days of their respective careers, and Pantilimon is no exception. His saves played an invaluable role in the relegation dogfight, and helped him become one of the most beloved figures in the squad - a popularity his clear passion for the club helped to solidify too.