10 Sunderland Players Who Really Weren't Worth The Hassle

9. Michael Chopra

Michael Chopra was a bit of an enigma. Sunderland supporters had to swallow their pride when accepting the born-and-bred Geordie as their main striker ahead of their hyped-up Premier League return in 2007, and there was even a dirty, perverse edge attached to the Stadium of Light erupting in sheer delirium at Chopra's debut winner against Spurs. Despite how difficult it was to accept the hand-me-down from their bitter arch-rivals, whose only previous league goal had been at that very ground clothed in the armour of the enemy, Chopra certainly didn't make it any easier. Having signed from Cardiff City to essentially alleviate his gambling woes, Chopra's swirling private life threatened to consume him, as he was forced to juggle self-inflicted financial problems and a career in the Premier League spotlight. With his marriage breaking down as a result, the former Newcastle United striker was in danger of going off the rails, when manager Roy Keane gave him time off to book himself into rehab. While the problems in his private life affected his form and performances on the pitch, what Sunderland supporters will remember most vividly was Chopra's panicky decision to shirk a goalscoring opportunity at St. James' Park, instead choosing to overcook a pass to strike partner Kenwyne Jones. Some might say it was a rushed decision, others will say it was 20 years of Geordie instinct depriving himself of a winner for the Mackems in a North-East derby.