It's not often that a team can get someone for free and still feel ripped off. Marcos Angeleri and Ian Harte could easily fill this spot, but I only wanted to include one of the full back trio. It would've caused too much pain to include all three. Andrea Dossena arrived on a free with experience playing for Udinese, Napoli and Palermo with his stint at Liverpool nestled in between. All Sunderland wanted from him was to be a solid, calm option to balance the ship. A permanently signed, real-life, left-footed left-back, something of a rarity in red and white. His debut came in a 2-1 win over Newcastle in 2013. A fiery encounter, where players have been known to crack. Dossena held his own and put in a gutsy performance. Impressive for a new arrival. Unfortunately, that was his peak. During the very next game, his vicious lunge on ex-Black Cat David Meyler (playing for Hull) earned Dossena a straight red card. Following that, every time he appeared he seemed to lose control of his limbs and was frequently chopping down wingers for sport. Dossena left the club after the season to nobody's surprise, but somehow managed to claw a deal at Leyton Orient. I'm still not sure how...
What Culture contributor. NCTJ accredited Sports Journalist. Regret-filled Sunderland AFC season ticket holder. Optimism-filled NFL fan. Lover of all things Game Of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead & more.
