Never go back? Eight players who returned to Sunderland for a second spell

With Jordan Henderson rumoured to be a Sunderland January transfer target, how has resigning former players worked out for the Black Cats before?

Grant Leadbitter - Second Sunderland spell / IMAGO / PA Images

Never go back, right? That’s what they say in football. With good reason too, in fairness. With rumours of a potential Jordan Henderson return to Sunderland, we may soon have another case study on the matter.

However, while it’s never the same when players return, is it always bad? The answer there is no.

Here are a few examples in recent history – the good, the bad, and the absolutely terrible.

The Good

Grant Leadbitter

In many ways, Grant Leadbitter would probably be the most direct comparison to Jordan Henderson. He was another central midfielder and local lad who came through the ranks, left, and then returned late on his career.

He never had the talent of Henderson of course, or reached anywhere near the heights, and they actually played in the same Sunderland team briefly, but Leadbitter was a quality footballer.

When he came back his legs had mostly gone, but you always felt it was a real labour of love for him. Sadly, he wasn’t able to get Sunderland out of League One in that second spell, but I’d still say it was a positive return in general.

Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson

Bryan Pop Robson - Sunderland / IMAGO / Colorsport

Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson actually had three spells at Sunderland, and every one of them was good. Born in County Durham but a Newcastle academy product, Robson first played for Sunderland for two years in the mid-70s, scoring 34 goals in 90 games. That was sandwiched between two prolific spells at West Ham.

In 1979 he came back to Roker Park and scored another 23 goals in 52 games.

His goals twice helped Sunderland to promotion, and he was still delivering for Sunderland in his third spell when, at the age of 38 years and 182, he scored to help the Black Cats to a 2-0 win at Leicester that saved them from relegation.

Paul Bracewell

Paul Bracewell was another of the players to have three spells at Sunderland, and all of them were notable.

He was at his peak during the first, and he produced some of the very best football of his whole career during that spell.

He came back after a brilliant but injury-ravaged spell at Everton and helped Sunderland to both a promotion to the top-flight and an FA Cup final. His third spell saw him once again at the heart of a Sunderland promotion-winning team, and he was also assistant manager on that occasion too.

Stan Varga

Stan Varga - Second Sunderland spell / IMAGO / Geoff Martin

You mention Stan Varga to any Sunderland fan of a certain age and they will immediately start talking about his debut against Arsenal in 2000. He was absolutely colossal that day at the heart of the Sunderland defence.

He never came close to hitting those heights again, though, and he ended up playing just 21 times for Sunderland before moving on to Celtic.

The Slovakian returned in 2006 and played another 20 games for Sunderland under Roy Keane as he played a part, albeit a relatively small one, in returning the club to the Premier League.

The Bad

Michael Bridges

I feel a bit guilty for putting Bridges in the ‘bad’ list. It’s not that he wasn’t bad when he came back, it’s just that it wasn’t remotely his fault.

When Bridges emerged at Sunderland as a gangly 17-year-old in the promotion-winning team of 95/96, he was absolutely brilliant. His touch and movement were both sublime and he continued to develop for another three years, consistently getting better and helping Sunderland to a second promotion.

A contract dispute saw him sold to Leeds where he initially did brilliantly, but injuries absolutely destroyed his career. He came back in 2004, initially on loan, but he was an absolute shadow of what he once was.

Mind, to be fair to him, he did actually help Sunderland to another promotion in 04/05 to claim a third Championship winners’ medal on Wearside, so fair play.

George McCartney

George McCartney - Second Sunderland spell / IMAGO / Sportimage

George McCartney is probably one of the more underrated Sunderland academy products in all honesty.

He took over from left back when Michael Gray left and he was another member of the 04/05 promotion winning team. After a disaster in the Premier League, the Northern Irishman left for West Ham and was a very solid Premier League player for them.

Sunderland actually spent two years trying to replace him at left back before giving up and deciding to just re-sign him to replace himself instead. The fee to get him back was a lot higher than the one Sunderland received for him, though, and he never really impressed in that second spell, largely because he was injured for most of it.

The Terrible

Jermain Defoe

Jermain Defoe - Second Sunderland spell / IMAGO / PA Images

‘One last dance’? Okay, so we all look back on that stuff now and cringe a little, but the truth is the vast majority of fans were completely on board with bringing Jermain Defoe back to the club.

Sure, we knew he wasn’t going to be anything like the brilliant player who left, but he didn’t need to be to produce some magic in League One. Or so the theory went, anyway.

Defoe had declined more than anyone, probably even himself to be fair, realised, and a falling out with coach Alex Neil saw him retire mere weeks after returning. Technically he played a part in promotion from League One, but the whole thing was a bit ugly in hindsight.

Danny Graham

No matter how terrible Defoe’s return was, at least there was some nostalgia to power it. You certainly couldn’t say that with Danny Graham.

There is actually a case to be made for naming Graham one of Sunderland’s worst ever signings. He came from Swansea in 2013 for £5m, played 37 games and scored one goal. And even that one came off his backside.

Four years after cutting their losses, Sunderland decided to bring him back to see if they could help them out of League One. He couldn’t, and he left after another 14 goalless games for the Black Cats.