Sunderland
Premier League / England
From the heroics of the 1973 FA Cup to the top-flight titles that are made eternal in the history books, the club have seen their fair share of glory days. But by no means do the Black Cats believe that the best days of the club and the Sunderland A.F.C. Players are behind them.
Sunderland have made impressive progress in the last few years, which eventually earned them a promotion in the 2025-26 season, where they will be challenging 19 other clubs for the Premier League.
While there have been many legendary Sunderland players who have seen it all and done it all for the Black Cats before, it will be the new blood among the Sunderland A.F.C. Players who will have a chip on their shoulder to prove that not only do they belong in the Premier League, but they are here to stay. From the likes of Ian Poveda and Wilson Isidor, who will be leading the squad from the front along with Ahmed Abdullahi, to the likes of Ballard and Cirkin, who will be holding the fort at the back, a lot of expectations are riding on the Sunderland players for the coming season, especially because of the club's high standards and partly because of the hefty wages that these players draw every week.
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Given that the Black Cats are in the top tier of English football, it is not a shock that the Sunderland squad players earn a handsome salary every week. In terms of the wage structure of Sunderland A.F.C., over the years, it has changed with the Sunderland squad and its players. Let us have a look at what the Sunderland team squad players earn on a weekly and yearly basis.
| Player Name | Position | Weekly Wages (British Pounds) | Yearly Wages (British Pounds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Ballard | CB | 25,000 | 1,300,000 |
| Wilson Isidor | CF | 15,000 | 780,000 |
| Alan Browne | CM | 15,000 | 780,000 |
| Patrick Roberts | RW | 12,500 | 650,000 |
| Dennis Cirkin | LB | 10,000 | 520,000 |
| Anthony Patterson | GK | 10,000 | 520,000 |
| Ian Poveda | RW | 9,000 | 468,000 |
| Timothee Pembele | RB | 7,500 | 390,000 |
| Luke O'Nien | CB | 7,500 | 390,000 |
| Simon Moore | GK | 7,000 | 364,000 |
| Adil Aouchiche | AM | 7,000 | 364,000 |
| Eliezer Mayenda | CF | 6,500 | 338,000 |
| Pierre Ekwah | DM | 6,500 | 338,000 |
| Blondy Nna Noukeu | GK | 6,000 | 312,000 |
| Aji Alese | CB | 6,000 | 312,000 |
| Abdoullah Ba | RM | 5,000 | 260,000 |
| Leo Fuhr Hjelde | LB | 5,000 | 260,000 |
| Niall Huggins | RB | 5,000 | 260,000 |
| Romain Mundle | LW | 5,000 | 260,000 |
| Jay Matete | CM | 4,500 | 234,000 |
| Jenson Seelt | CB | 3,000 | 156,000 |
| Nectarios Triantis | DM | 3,000 | 156,000 |
| Trai Hume | RB | 3,000 | 156,000 |
| Joe Anderson | CB | 3,000 | 156,000 |
| Milan Aleksic | CM | 3,000 | 156,000 |
| Ahmed Abdullahi | CF | 2,000 | 104,000 |
| Chris Rigg | AM | 1,500 | 78,000 |
| Dan Neil | CM | 1,346 | 70,000 |
| Luis Semedo | CF | - | - |
| Nazarii Rusyn | CF | - | - |
| Enzo Le Fee | CM | - | - |
From the first team Sunderland goalkeeper to the Sunderland strikers, all of these players earn a handsome weekly and yearly wage. If you look at the chart, you will notice that it is one of the names of Sunderland defenders who earn the highest.
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Now that you are aware of the Sunderland player wages of the current Sunderland A.F.C. players, let us have a look at the top 10 Sunderland legends who have graced the club with their contributions on and off the pitch:
| Rank | Player Name | Position | Years |
| 10 | Marco Gabbiadini | Forward | 1987-1991 |
| 9 | Stan Anderson | Wing-half | 1952-1963 |
| 8 | Gary Bennett | Defender | 1984-1995 |
| 7 | Billy Hughes | Winger | 1966-1977 |
| 6 | Lee Shackleton | Forward | 1948-1957 |
| 5 | Jim Montgomery | Goalkeeper | 1960-1977 |
| 4 | Kevin Phillips | Forward | 1997-2003 |
| 3 | Niall Quinn | Forward/Midfielder | 1996-2002 |
| 2 | Bobby Kerr | Midfielder | 1966-1978 |
| 1 | Charlie Hurley | Defender | 1957-1969 |
Known as a cult hero back in the late 80s, his goal-scoring abilities made him one of the best Sunderland strikers. Marco is, in fact, one of the names in the list of legendary Sunderland strikers who have given the club a football identity in his time.
If you enjoy the leadership of Sunderland defenders now, you would have had a blast witnessing the defending skills live of Stan Anderson back when he was a regular in the Sunderland team squad.
Speaking of legendary Sunderland defenders, another name comes to the list in the form of Gary Bennett. In addition to his defensive skills, he made massive contributions to the club off the field.
One of the best Sunderland FC squad legendary midfielders was Billy Hughes. He was one of the most important players in the Black Cats' triumphant FA Cup journey in 1973.
Len Shackleton was one of the best Sunderland A.F.C. players ever. Due to his showmanship on the pitch and being an icon of entertainment on the pitch, the fans used to call him the Clown Prince of Soccer.
The current Sunderland A.F.C. players have three quality goalkeepers among them. However, none of them are yet close to the class of Jim Montgomery. In fact, Jim is the one with the legendary save in the 1973 FA Cup final. With 627 matches, he has the most appearances for the club as a goalkeeper.
Another big name in the list of legendary Sunderland players is Kevin Phillips. He won the European Golden Shoe back in the 1999-2000 campaign with his 20-goal tally in the league, a feat considered excellent back then.
Amongst the greatest Sunderland strikers list, we have Niall Quinn, who is also a possible chairman of the club in the future. He is one of the best Sunderland A.F.C. Players of all time.
No matter what era of Sunderland FC squad or which manager's Sunderland team squad is your favorite, you simply cannot look away from the heroics of Bobby Kerr. He was the captain of the Black Cats during their 1973 FA Cup win over Leeds United. In addition to being a high work-ethic midfielder, Kerr is one of the iconic names in the Sunderland legends podium due to his multiple contributions.
Every club has that one player that whenever are mentioned, you think of the club they have represented. For the Black Cats, it is Charlie Hurley. He is known as the king by the Sunderland players and the fans. His commitment and leadership during his tenure for the club between 1950-60 made him the player of the century in 1979.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current highest-paid player in the Sunderland FC squad?
As of right 2025, Daniel Ballard is the highest-paid player in the Sunderland FC squad with 25,000 Pounds every week.
Who is Sunderland's current first-choice goalkeeper?
As of Anthony Patterson is the first-choice goalkeeper of Sunderland A.F.C., with Blondy NNA Noukeu and Moore being the backup keepers.
Who is the greatest Sunderland player of all time?
Charlie Hurley is the greatest ever Sunderland A.F.C. player who was nicknamed the King for his commanding presence in the field and leadership, in addition to his quality footballing skills.
Which Sunderland Goalkeeper has the most appearances?
With 627 appearances, Jim Montgomery is the goalkeeper with the most appearances for Sunderland A.F.C.
Who has scored the most goals for Sunderland A.F.C.?
With 205, Bobby Gurney holds the record for the most goals scored in Sunderland's history.
