| Club: | Sunderland |
| Season: | 2017–18 |
| Manager: | Simon Grayson (until 31 October)[1] Robbie Stockdale Billy McKinlay (from 31 October to 19 November) Chris Coleman (from 19 November to 29 April)[2] Robbie Stockdale (from 29 April) |
| Chairman: | Ellis Short (until 29 April) Stewart Donald (from 29 April) |
| Stadium: | Stadium of Light |
| League: | Championship |
| League Result: | 24th (relegated) |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Third round |
| Cup2: | EFL Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| League Topscorer: | Lewis Grabban (12) |
| Season Topscorer: | Lewis Grabban (12) |
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| Prevseason: | 2016–17 |
| Nextseason: | 2018–19 |
The 2017–18 season was Sunderland's 139th season in existence, and their first season in the Championship since 2006, after relegation from the Premier League in the previous season.[3] [4] [5] Along with competing in the Championship, the club also participated in the FA Cup and EFL Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Simon Grayson began the season as Sunderland manager, following the departure of David Moyes in May 2017. However, he did not complete the full season, instead being sacked towards the end of October after only one win in his first fifteen league matches saw Sunderland rooted to the bottom of the table. He was replaced by former Wales manager Chris Coleman.
Sunderland suffered a second successive relegation on 21 April 2018, following a 1–2 home defeat to fellow struggling side Burton Albion, after they had led the match 1–0. Results elsewhere meant that the club competed in League One in the following season.[6] [7] [8]
The events of the season formed the backdrop to the first series of the documentary programme Sunderland 'Til I Die, which was released on Netflix on 14 December 2018.[9]
Ages are as of 4 August 2017.
| Player | Until | Source | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Midfielder | George Honeyman | June 2019 | [10] | |
| 16 | Defender | John O'Shea | June 2018 | [11] |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 July 2017 | £250,000 | [12] | |||||
| 13 July 2017 | £500,000 | ||||||
| 26 July 2017 | £500,000 | [13] | |||||
| 2 August 2017 | Free | [14] | |||||
| 31 August 2017 | Free | [15] | |||||
| 31 August 2017 | Free | [16] | |||||
| 25 January 2018 | Free | [17] |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Until | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 July 2017 | 30 June 2018 | [18] | |||||
| 8 July 2017 | 30 June 2018 | [19] | |||||
| 26 July 2017 | 5 January 2018 | [20] | |||||
| 31 August 2017 | 30 June 2018 | [21] | |||||
| 8 January 2018 | 30 June 2018 | [22] | |||||
| 31 January 2018 | 30 June 2018 | [23] | |||||
| 31 January 2018 | 30 June 2018 | [24] | |||||
| 31 January 2018 | 30 June 2018 |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2017 | Released | ||||||
| 1 July 2017 | Released | [25] | |||||
| 1 July 2017 |  | Free | |||||
| 1 July 2017 | Free | [26] | |||||
| 1 July 2017 | Free | ||||||
| 1 July 2017 | Free | [27] | |||||
| 1 July 2017 | £30,000,000 | [28] | |||||
| 1 July 2017 | Free | [29] | |||||
| 19 July 2017 |  | £2,000,000 | [30] | ||||
| 12 January 2018 | Released | [31] | |||||
| 12 January 2018 | £300,000 | [32] |
| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Until | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2017 | | 30 June 2018 | [33] | ||||
| 7 August 2017 | 30 June 2018 | [34] | |||||
| 30 August 2017 | 30 June 2018 | [35] | |||||
| 31 August 2017 |  | 18 January 2018 | [36] | ||||
| 31 August 2017 |  | 30 June 2018 | [37] | ||||
| 31 August 2017 |  | 30 June 2018 | [38] | ||||
| 20 October 2017 | 17 November 2017 | [39] | |||||
| 2 January 2018 | End of season | [40] | |||||
| 7 December 2017 |  | 30 June 2018 | [41] | ||||
| 20 January 2018 |  | 30 June 2018 | [42] | ||||
| 31 January 2018 |  | 30 June 2018 | [43] |
Sunderland announced eight pre-season friendlies against Bury,[44] Hibernian,[45] Livingston, Bradford City, Scunthorpe United,[46] St Johnstone,[47] Celtic[48] and Hartlepool United.[49]
See main article: 2017–18 EFL Championship.
The fixtures for the 2017–18 season were released on 21 June 2017.[50]
In the FA Cup, Sunderland entered the competition in the third round and were drawn away to Middlesbrough.[51]
On 16 June 2017, Sunderland were drawn away to Bury in the first round.[52] [53] A trip to Carlisle United was announced for the second round.[54] A third away trip in the competition against Everton was drawn for the third round.[55]
The list is sorted by league goals and then shirt number when total goals are equal.
Last updated on 30 May 2018.
| width=10 | width=10 | width=10 | width=150 | Player | width=50 | Championship | width=50 | FA Cup | width=50 | EFL Cup | width=50 | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FW | 11 | Lewis Grabban | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||
| 2 | MF | 19 | Aiden McGeady | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||
| MF | 26 | George Honeyman | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 | |||||||||
| 4 | MF | 4 | Paddy McNair | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||
| 5 | FW | 29 | Joel Asoro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||
| 6 | DF | 3 | Bryan Oviedo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
| FW | 9 | James Vaughan* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| FW | 9 | Ashley Fletcher | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| MF | 27 |  Lynden Gooch | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| 10 | DF | 2 | Billy Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||
| MF | 6 | Lee Cattermole | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| MF | 7 | Jonny Williams | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| MF | 8 | Jack Rodwell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| MF | 13 | Callum McManaman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| DF | 16 | John O'Shea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| FW | 20 |  Josh Maja | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| DF | 21 | Adam Matthews | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| MF | 53 | Ovie Ejaria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| DF | 22 | Donald Love | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Own Goals | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Total | 52 | 0 | 3 | 55 | |||||||||||
Last updated on 7 May 2018.[56] [57] [58] |-|colspan="14"|Players who have played for Sunderland this season but are currently out on loan:|-|colspan="14"|Players who have played for Sunderland this season but have left the club:|-|}
| No. | Pos. | Name | Championship | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||