3. Allan Johnston
Tony Marshall/EMPICS SportNicknamed Magic, Johnston was quite simply one of the most talented wingers that have graced a field for Sunderland, not least the Stadium of Light. Johnston, one of the original heroes of Peter Reids record-breaking Division One Champions in 1999, decided to turn his back on Sunderland to move to boyhood favourites Glasgow Rangers at the end of his contract in 2000. Apparently going back on a verbal agreement on a new deal, Johnston faced the wrath of manager Reid and was subsequently resigned to the transfer list and frozen out of the side. But Johnson stood fast, and got his move to Rangers. He played Champions League football, but he never produced the form certainly not consistently which had alerted Rangers to the winger in the first place. A move to Middlesbrough followed but yet again it was the same story. While the sprinkling of left-wing magic and curling right-foot shots that became Johnstons trademark for Sunderland had evaporated, much like his career.