David Holloway says...

The 1980/81 home kit. It was the last in a long period of Umbro manufactured kits of that era and the first made out material that felt modern.

The jet black shorts and wide red and white stripes were not interrupted by a sponsors logo and were adorned by the great Shaun Elliott, Stan Cummins, Kevin Arnott and Pop Robson on our return to the top league were spellbinding to the ten-year-old me.

The club badge - the Ship with the brown ball, not the later black one - was huge and magnificent. And those the socks bright red with a white turnover - fantastic

This is a strip that has never be been beaten.

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Matty Foster says...

The 1997-99 home kit has to be my favourite. With Reidy at the helm, and Super Kev rattling in the goals, it was a shirt I never had off my back. Also a time when shirts were not an annual expenditure!

Every time I see it, it always brings back great memories of hands down my favourite Sunderland side. One who came back from Wembley heartache, to take Division One by storm in 98/99.

It also reminds me of my old man, as he always quipped every time he wore it “Sunderland in the heart, Lambton’s in the belly”.

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Gary Engel says...

My favourite is possibly the shirt with the black v-neck from 2000-2002, and I still have it. It’s sleek, simple and looks as good today as when it was worn during Sunderland’s and Reidy’s highest point. Yes, it was the second time we had finished 7th, but that side was arguably at it’s peak. With the summer addictions of Arca, Hutchinson and Thome providing more quality we looked a new different prospect.

That shirt always takes me back to that memorable victory at St James’, Hutchinson’s equaliser, the header from Quinny before he almost undid the hard work with that trip in the box before Shearer was left red-faced with his shot saved from the spot.

Younger fans could not comprehend that era, but we looked like contenders for the top four and the Champions League places. Now we’re lucky to make the top four in League One to challenge for a place in the Championship - wow. So, yes that shirt makes those times seem like yesterday.

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