11 Players Sunderland Should Never Have Sold

2. Steed Malbranque

Steeeeeed Malbranque remains one of the finest technical footballers to grace the Stadium of Light pitch in red and white since it was first opened. His trickery, his sharp turns, and his entertaining skills brought fun and energy to the ground, and simply put, he gave the fans a reason to turn up and reasons to cheer. His double nutmeg of James Milner was a particular highlight, and his trickery would usually lead to some attacking breaks as well. His fitness was always a concern, but even though he could only last 60 minutes a game, they'd be the best hours of football you could watch. The little wizard was a true hero, but was ridiculously sold on for a minimal fee, and went on to produce a few seasons of fine performances with Lyon. In fact, he's still there now. You sold him too early, Sunderland.