ON THIS DAY: Sunderland Beat The Drop

Sunderland are once again embroiled in a relegation batte, and one that is looking far better than it did a few days ago, but sadly it's nothing new to us.

13 years ago today we successfully won another one. After two seventh place finishes in succession, it was frankly ridiculous that Sunderland found themselves in this position, but that's just kinda what Sunderland do.

Peter Reid's troops went into the final game of the 2002 season knowing that a draw would suffice at home against an already-relegated Derby County side that featured future Black Cats Danny Higginbotham and Mart Poom.

Sunderland being Sunderland, a draw was all they got. Kevin Phillips' 17th minute opener was cancelled out by a second half Marvin Robinson strike, but relegation was staved off for another season.

Let's just kinda try to forget what happened the next season...

Sunderland: Thomas Sorensen; Darren Williams, Jody Craddock, Joachim Bjorklund, Michael Gray; Thomas Butler, Jason McAteer, Claudio Reyna, Kevin Kilbane; Niall Quinn (Patrick Mboma 71'), Kevin Phillips

Goals: Phillips 17'

Derby: Mart Poom, Warren Barton, Luciano Zavagno (Richard Jackson 73'), Ian Evatt, Danny Higginbotham, Chris Riggot, Robert Lee, Adam Bolder, Malcolm Christie, Branko Strupar (Marvin Robinson 58'), Paul Boertien (Gary Twigg 66').

Goals: Robinson 68'