Played for Both: FOUR players who have played for Sunderland & Accrington Stanley!

Jimmy Dunne

Currently on loan at Sunderland from Burnley until the end of the season, Dunne made his League debut on loan to Accrington Stanley in January 2018.

He would go on to make twenty appearances until the end of the season before returning to Burnley ahead of another loan move to Heart of Midlothian in August 2018 for six months.

This ended in January when, only days after his loan deal expired, Sunderland acquired his services until the end of the season. He has made eleven appearances so far this season, and will be looking for more.

Sunderland AFC Via Getty Images

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Michael Liddle

Michael Liddle signed a professional contract with Sunderland in the summer of 2008.

He made his only first team appearance in January 2010 when Steve Bruce brought him on from the bench for the last ten minutes of a game. He replaced George McCartney in a 3-0 home win against Barrow in the 3^rd round of the FA Cup, and didn’t make another appearance.

Liddle had multiple loan moves during his four years with the club including a move to Accrington Stanley in 2012 where he impressed enough to make the move permanent - going on to make 66 appearances for Stanley before leaving in 2015.

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John Mullin

John Mullin was one of Peter Reid’s first signings for Sunderland in the summer of 1995, signing for a tribunal-set £40,000 from Burnley that would increase based on appearances.

After making a handful appearances during Sunderland’s promotion season in 1995-96, Mullin would go on to make ten Premier League appearances with a notable contribution of scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory at Roker Park over Manchester United.

He also had the honour of scoring the last ever goal at Roker Park when he scored the only goal in the ‘Farewell to Roker Park’ match against Liverpool in 1996.

Initially signed as a striker, Mullin formed into an effective central midfield player and would go on to make 45 appearances for Sunderland before leaving for Burnley in 1999.

He eventually signed for Stanley via Rotherham United and Tranmere Rovers in 2008 where he made 32 appearances over the next two years. John Mullin is now an U18’s coach at Manchester City.

Sunderland Echo

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Gordon Armstrong

Len Ashurst handed Armstrong his debut at home to West Bromwich Albion exactly a month after the defeat in the Milk Cup final to Norwich City.

He would go on to become one of Sunderland’s top ten all time appearance makers ending his time on Wearside with 416 outings for the Lads.

Armstrong’s eleven eventful years as a professional with Sunderland included three promotions, three relegations, a Play-Off final, a testimonial at Roker Park against Porto, and an FA Cup final.

He was also the first Sunderland midfielder since Bobby Kerr to score 50 League goals for the club, which included a memorable last minute winner at Roker Park against Chelsea that took Sunderland to an FA Cup semi-final in 1992.

After leaving for Bury in 1996, Armstrong eventually joined Accrington Stanley in 2003, via five years with Burnley, where he made thirteen appearances in 2003-2004.

Sunderland Echo