Sunderland fans have endured a dismal couple of seasons as the club dropped two divisions in the space of two years but things are starting to look up. 

Jack Ross' side currently sit 3rd in the League 1 table and have only lost one of their opening 12 matches- a statistic that will certainly please the Sunderland boss.

But it will be hard to forget that Sunderland's last two seasons have been some of the worst in the club's history.

After a number of questionable signings in those seasons, the club were relegated to the third tier of English football, which saw manager Chris Coleman dismissed at the end of the season.

But what players have struggled in their spells with the club during a difficult couple of years for the club's supporters?

Find out who we rated as Sunderland's worst signings in the last five years here.....

Where do we start with this man?

Rodwell has played 76 appearances in total for Sunderland, scoring on seven occasions.

He famously went on a run of not winning a match for Sunderland for 39 Premier League matches in a quite extraordinary run that Rodwell will want to forget.

But the former Manchester City midfielder failed to make an impact during the 2017/2018 season where he made just two league appearances.

He finally left Sunderland in June 2018, and joined Blackburn Rovers just two months later, but has only made two appearances this season.

Vaughan arrived at Sunderland in excellent form, where he netted 24 goals in 40 appearances for Bury and he was tipped to do the same for the Black Cats.

But with just two goals to his name for Sunderland in the Championship, he left just four months after arriving to join Wigan Athletic.

Gibson did make 30 appearances in his time at Sunderland and failed to score in that time.

However, his time at the club was overshadowed by a drink-driving charge which saw Sunderland suspend the Irish international.

Gibson agreed to mutually terminate his contract following the suspension of his contract and he joined Championship side Wigan Athletic in August 2018.

The former Manchester City and Everton defender had a time to forget in his spell at Sunderland.

Making just two appearances in the club's relegation to the Championship will be up there as one of the worst moments of Lescott's career.

He left the club following the relegation.