5. Kevin Phillips
Mike Egerton/EMPICS SportHis move at the end of an unbelievable 6 years on Wearside may well have been enforced, given Sunderlands relegation. His time may well have been up, and although it is thought he turned down the chance to return when his old strike partner, Niall Quinn, took over the club there is no doubt about Phillips love for the club or city it would appear. In Sunderland recently, he actually admitted his time here was by far the highlight of a staggering career. Remembering he only retired this summer at 40 that is quite flattering. Phillips did have some impressive flurries of goals and formed one or two impressive strike partnerships in a similar mould to that formed with Quinny. While Phillips was clearly one of the old school, motivated more by the love of playing the game than by monetary reasons. Though, indeed there was life after Sunderland, while it may appear he never quite enjoyed his football quite as much as when he was the star at the Stadium of Light.