Sunderland might be in the third tier right now, but it is only the second time they've been so low in their entire history.
They are a team used to paying in the top two divisions and with that comes a long, rich history of incredibly good footballers. They had the likes of Brian Clough play for them, a striker of immense promise who had his playing career curtailed by injury.
These days it is easy for a striker to be called a legend, he only needs to bag against a local rival, or turn down a move to remain at a club and he's labelled as a legend.
A real legend has done far more, contributed over a period of time and earned the right to be welcomed back at the ground well into his old age.
FLW looks at four such strikers who plied their trade for the Black Cats and can arguably be called the greatest to ever have worn the shirt.
Shackleton scored 97 times in 320 appearances post-war for Sunderland and is widely regarded as one of their best ever players.
Few reading this will have seen him in action, but he was an old-fashioned centre forward, occasionally playing inside left which was a position between the centre forward and left winger.
He was known as the 'Clown Prince of Soccer' and is revered on Wearside to this day.
Quinn didn't have the greatest scoring record for Sunderland, 67 goals in 203 appearances, but he's still regarded as one of their best ever strikers.
He's been chairman of the club and once even had the fans release a record about him.
Phillips is another form the modern era staking a claim to be the best ever and he's every right to.
He was a proper fox in the box, a natural goal scorer who scored 130 times in 235 outings for the club, finishing as leading scorer in all six seasons he represented them.
In all he scored 282 career goals in 660 appearances and is widely regarded as the finest striker they've had in modern history
Marco Gabbiadini will run him close though, he stuck by the club the last time they were relegated to the third tier, scoring the goals to win them promotion back to the top flight.
He slammed home 87 goals in 185 appearances before a £1.8m move to Crystal Palace. He finished his career with 276 goals from 791 appearances.