The Rokies Awards: Sunderland’s Worst Player in 2017 - VOTE!

Tom - @Walshie409

Remember when we all loved Fabio Borini? Remember when he won our hearts by scoring against Newcastle and, obviously, at Wembley? Now do you remember his dire performances last season? Yeah.

Borini’s fall from grace is actually quite admirable. From being universally loved to universally hated within the space of a year is some achievement.

Why was he so hated, you ask? Well, mainly because of the half-arsed performances and sulking he put in week after week and even when he did score (2 in 26, ooooooh baby) he acted like an utter clown knee-sliding in front of the manager.

I mean, I hate David Moyes with a fiery passion but even I thought Borini’s actions were pathetic.

Anyway, he got his dream move to AC Milan in the summer showing everyone that there is no justice in the world.

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Gav - @Gav1879

My nomination for this award is Joleon Lescott.

I mean... what a horrible, horrible signing. We paid him, reportedly, between £30,000-£40,000 a week from January til the end of the season, and he contributed absolutely nothing bar making two paltry appearances before packing up and leaving with a nice healthy bank balance as the club dropped into the Championship for the first time in over ten years.

Granted, that’s not his fault, but if ever a signing summed up the David Moyes era it was Lescott - old, past it, ex-Everton and overpaid.

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Connor Bromley - @ConnorBromley

The demise of Lee Cattermole in 2017 has been symbolic of Sunderland’s fall from being a regular Premier League side to Championship relegation fodder.

What is perhaps most upsetting is that Cattermole is a player who probably could have spent the remainder of career here, but will now most likely be remembered for his poor displays in this calendar year.

I actually thought that relegation would help the former Wigan man to stand out and prove himself as a top player - yet his game has been sorely lacking in confidence and quality this season.

Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

Chris Camm - @christophecamm

Never has a footballer frustrated me quite like Lamine Kone frustrates me. For half a season under Sam Allardyce he was superb for the lads, demonstrating superior physicality, an excellent understanding with centre-back partner Younes Kaboul - and he even once wiped out Yaya Toure with one of my favourite tackles ever.

But how that has changed for Kone in 2017 - nowadays, whenever he lines up for Sunderland he looks disinterested, unmotivated and on occasion just incapable, which is why he’s a worthy nomination.

He may well be on his way out of the door in January and that will be the right move for both parties but it is still a shame for us because he’s been a waste of talent on Wearside ever since Big Sam left.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Mark Carrick - @Carrima

My nomination for the Worst Player of 2017 award is Jason Steele.

We sold Jordan Pickford for £30m and Vito Mannone for £2m and spent actual money on Jason Steele. Money when we had virtually none. He cost almost half our summer budget. Now, granted, that’s not a lot, but seriously... almost half.

His contributions to date have been suspect to say the least. Grayson gave him the gloves against Celtic in the pre-season friendly, when Ruiter’s signing was still being finalised. Why, on the back of that, he then started the league campaign is anyone’s guess. Why he was recalled after being dropped is another question.

Perhaps, you say, Ruiter was no better in his league showings. Barnsley away does spring to mind.

But Steele has been nowhere near good enough, even at Championship level. Ruiter has started to show more promise and a return to his pre-season form which prompted Sunderland to sign him, but does Steele have another gear in him?

I suspect, six months into a four-year deal, we’re already wondering who will take him off our hands.