Lee Cattermole is craving success with Sunderland, and is desperate to end the cycle of constant relegation battles, with the aim of emulating Peter Reid's team around the turn of the millennium. The 27-year-old is set to enter his sixth season on Wearside, and hopes to make a name for himself in the Sunderland history books after his five-year contract extension until 2021. The Stockton-born midfield enforcer has made 130 league appearances in red and white, and could captain the Black Cats during their season opener against Leicester if John O'Shea is dropped in favour of Younes Kaboul and Seb Coates. He told the Sunderland Echo: "This feels like my club. If you spend enough time somewhere, you fall in love with it. This place has definitely got me and for the years Im going to be here now, itll be a long period and itll play a big part in my life. (The new contract) was a no-brainer because I feel like Ive got an opportunity to help take the club somewhere special, and I want to be a part of that. Its a brilliant club with a massive fanbase, but were underachieving at the moment. We need to look to push on and get back to the kind of heights that the club enjoyed in the Peter Reid era. They finished seventh or eighth back then, and if you can finish in or around there, then thats progress, and I dont see any reason why we shouldnt be competing with where Swansea, Stoke and Southampton are. You look at clubs like that, and that has to be the target for us. Throw in a decent cup run, and thats where the club has to look to be. Its getting great backing from the owner, and the fans are following us all around the country like they always do. "I dont want to just plod out my career, spreading my time around five or six different clubs. I could have done that, but here I feel like I have a chance to be remembered and that was a massive thing. I want to make sure when I leave that people still remember me, and that means helping the club achieve something really special.
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.
