The Roker Report Draft Extravaganza: Part Three

It's getting a little tense now in the Roker Report draft as people have their preferred options stolen from under their noses and plans ruined. I would reveal some of what was said behind the scenes at this point, but frankly the language was not fit for publish!

Anyway, time to reveal the next batch of Sunderland players past and present who find themselves drafted into our squads.

To catch up with what this is all about and the rules, you can CLICK HERE.

Round Seven

#37 Shay Given (Karl Jones)

To kick off Round 7, I'll have a goalie please. Mr Graham opted against Shay Given earlier on, but even as a 19-year-old he kept 12 clean sheets in 17 games. He's the Jonny Mapson of this draft - chucked in at a tentative age and watch him thrive.

#38 Shaun Elliott (Simon Walsh)

Well with the second pick in Round 7, I'm thankful that this man is still on the board. I nearly took him with my previous pick, but my defence continues to get even stronger now with the addition of former fans favourite, Shaun Elliott.

#39 Michael Gray (Michael Graham)

I'm going to plump for another local lad for my seventh round pick. To play my favoured 433/451 system, I am going to need a couple of decent attacking fullbacks to provide some consistent width, so I am delighted to see Michael Gray still available. Over 400 appearances for the lads and a home-grown England international. That's the dream.

#40 Nick Summerbee (David Boyle)

With big Niall up top I am going to need someone to supply the ammunition, so for my right flank I am going to take Roker Report's very own guest columnist Nicky Summerbee.

#41 Marco Gabbiadini (Chris Weatherspoon)

Righto, I think I need myself another striker. As a result, I'd like to enlist the services of one half of the G-Force, not to mention a heroic play-off goalscorer. Marco Gabbiadini becomes the seventh member of my side.

#42 Nick Sharkey (Dan Williams)

With my team looking to take shape, another striker was essential to the make up of the squad, which is why I welcome Nick Sharkey into the fold. 62 goals in 117 appearances is nothing to be sniffed at, but he also holds the impressive record of being the only man to score five goals in one game, achieved in 1963 in a 7-1 over Norwich at Roker Park. The 19-year-old Scot banged in the goals shortly after replacing Brian Clough in the team, and remains the only man alive to have done it for the Black Cats.

Round Eight

#43 John Kay (Dan Williams)

And, to add some grit, determination and all round concrete to my side, I shall be choosing John 'The Tractor' Kay to take his rightful home in my defence. Does he really need much of an introduction? No. No he doesn't.

#44 Julio Arca (Chris Weatherspoon)

Well, I wanted a flair player. Sess, alas, has gone. Thus it leaves me with little other choice than to annoy the gaffer. That's right, on the left wing I'm opting for none other than Julio Arca. From his debut goal against West Ham, to countless jinking runs, a fair few goals from free-kicks, and all-round mintness, what's not to love?

Oh, P.S. Dear Simon - mwuahahahahahahahahahaha

#45 Sandy McAllister (David Boyle)

Right, I need to add some further steel to my defence. I like my centre halves to be hard as nails, so I've opted for the stocky and courageous, former Scottish coal miner Sandy McAllister. Sandy managed 225 appearances for the lads and was such a popular figure on Wearside that the fans bought him a gold watch and a piano when he notched his first goal.

#46 Allan Johnston (Michael Graham)

I didn't plan for this, but plans can change and this is one such time when they must. I didn't think I'd get Michael Gray, and having got Gray I certainly didn't think the rest of the lads would let me get his left-sided partner Allan Johnston to go with him, especially considering two people can pick two players at a time. We barely saw Johnston in the top division, but that doesn't matter. Individually, Johnston and Gray were no more than good players. Together, they are both exceptional players, and I am more than happy to reunite them on the left hand side of my team.

#47 Billy Bingham (Simon Walsh)

The doors are open indeed, and despite the fact Allan Johnston becomes the latest to be knocked from the middle of my list, I'll get back to the top, and introduce onto the other wing, Billy Bingham. Perhaps the prototypical James McClean, except on the right. Bingham on the right, Baxter on the left... SuperKev and Raich Carter up top... unstoppable.

#48 Arthur Bridget (Karl Jones)

Seeing that a couple of wingers have gone I'm surprised that the one I wanted remains. With Hannah comfortable on either side, Arthur Bridgett slots in on the left-hand side of this increasingly attacking quartet. Again a winger who has an excellent goal scoring record.

Round Nine

#49 Jimmy Watson (Karl Jones)

To kick off the next round, I'll grab a left-back before someone ends up with Bardsley, so in comes Jimmy Watson. History calls him 'one of the finest full-backs at the time' and his other credentials are displayed in a league winners medal. Things are taking shape now...

#50 Johnny Crossan (Simon Walsh)

There was a genuine worry that Karl might have taken this choice what with him favouring players of old, but I'm going to complete my striking trio with Johnny Crossan, thus giving me flexibility to go 4-3-3 with Carter and Kev up front, or just a very competitive bunch. I can't quite believe my luck to be honest.

#51 Don Hutchison (Michael Graham)

Right. I need to pad out my central midfield a little. With Bracewell and Collin Todd, my team is not lacking in ball players, but it is perhaps lacking just a little in goals. So I'm probably quite lucky that Sunderland's best goalscoring midfield player of modern times is still available. Don Hutchison only gave us one season, but it was a very good one indeed. I am fortunate to have a lot of people in my team able to create space in the final third. Hutch is the man who I can rely upon to get into that space and provide goals from midfield and he brings a little physical presence to the side too.

#52 Chris Makin (David Boyle)

In a similar vein to Mike, I am going secure the more underrated wing-partnership of recent times by nabbing Chris Makin for my right back slot. Yes, believe it or not, I am overlooking my original childhood hero for another player. Makin will know all about playing with Summerbee behind him and gives my right hand flank a nice balance to it.

#53 Cec Irwin (Chris Weatherspoon)

352 appearances may have only garnered 1 goal, but a Makin-esque 35-yarder and being generally hard as nails means Cec Irwin is a bit of a shoo-in. He knows how to play with my other full-back Ashurst, so hopefully this should keep defensive mix-ups to a minimum. Those two along with Doig and Watson form a fairly formidable and uncompromising defence thus far...

#54 Jack Colback (Dan Williams)

This choice may seem premature in some eyes, it doesn't in mine. For that reason, Jack Colback shall be joining Ian Porterfield in the centre of my midfield. The little ginger has all the makings of a star, and although we are picking them on current ability, I'm happy enough that he would make an impact in there, feeding my exciting front line in the manner that he did Bendtner at the weekend.

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Some big surprises in these rounds! Join us tomorrow as we continue with rounds ten to twelve. You can find the previous rounds on this site somewhere, just have a look.