Having secured Premier League survival in the previous campaign, a technically gifted international centurion with Premier League experience joining Sunderland will have been music to the ears of the Black Cats fanbase back in 2013.
As Paolo Di Canio carried out his sweeping overhaul of the squad, Ki Sung-Yueng was drafted in on loan with Swansea City deeming him surplus to requirements.
Despite just having one season on Wearside, Ki went on to make quite the impression as well as making history.
Becoming the club’s second ever South Koren player to don the red and white, the move to Sunderland presented the chance for him to make his mark on the division. But it was also the club that made their mark on him.
“I played one season for Sunderland but it was very special for me” he told safc.com. “I was very impressed with the fans, the facility was really great and the atmosphere around the team was fantastic. I had a really great time with a lot of good players and with a good manager.”
Naturally being at Sunderland, his spell wasn’t without it’s drama with a midway managerial chance threatening to put the breaks on his progress. But he wasn’t to be deterred and continued to cement his place in the team.
He continued: “When I was there, we changed a couple of managers. Paolo Di Canio, Kevin Ball and Gus Poyet were all there so for the first period, I was a little confused.
“But as soon as I adapted in the team and the system, I was really enjoying it. What I felt was really big support from them. Even when we were in difficult situations, the fans were always behind us.
“That season, we won the last couple of games. Some miracles came and then we stayed in the league. Then I had to go back because I was a loan player. Even though it was one season, it was really enjoyable and I was really impressed with the fans.”
The memories of his time on Wearside remain stark as he continues his career back in his native home with FC Seoul. But the mutual connections with Sunderland also remain true to the present day.
A scouting mission from a certain somebody saw a Scottish giant take a chance on the aspiring South Korean who remains grateful to this day as it allowed him to forge his footballing career in the Great Britain.
“Tony Mowbray was the manager who brought me to Celtic” Ki explained. “We didn’t have a long period because after I played two or three games, he left.
“He was the one who brought me to where I started my career. I really missed him! After he left, I couldn’t play in the team so I had a difficult time for three months before the World Cup.”
In the previous campaign before moving to the Stadium of Light, Ki was part of a Swansea City side that won the League Cup beating League Two Bradford City 5-0 in the final with the South Korean starting at centre half.
Sunderland came extremely close to matching those exploits in the same cup the following year with Ki very much at the heart of the team’s League Cup run. Sadly, it wasn’t to be but the run was not without it’s drama.
A night to remember on Wearside saw the midfielder show the prowess in front of goal that had been missing from his time so far in England and dump Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea out of the last eight of the competition.
He added: “That was my first goal in England. I was in Swansea for my first year and I didn’t score but then moved to Sunderland and that was when I got my debut goal.
“I can still feel the feelings from that game. I cannot forget that goal.
“We went to the final of the League Cup. I was disappointed we couldn’t win the cup but I really liked the atmosphere in the stadium and the players were enjoying in as well.”
After 34 appearances and four goals on Wearside, Swansea were keen to keep hold of his services the following season with Sunderland having to build on their 14th place finish without him.
It was at the Liberty Stadium where he went on to cement himself as a Premier League regular and fan favourite down in South Wales whilst flying the flag of a brave brand of football.
Ki added: “I was there for half of my career in England. It was a team that gave us an opportunity to play in the Premier League.
“In my last season, we were relegated to the Championship and I was really disappointed and felt sorry for the team. I had some good and bad memories with Swansea but I can say that it is a time I really really loved for five years.
“When I transferred to Swansea, the style of play was the main reason. They had a really good philosophy on how to play football.
“Now, the Premier League has very good players and very good managers but back then, not many teams tried to play from the back. The five years playing there gave us a lot of different ideas.”
Ahead of this weekend’s meeting between Sunderland and Swansea City, Ki, who will be keeping an eye on the game from Seoul, has split loyalties but wishes for equal fortunes for both sides in the years to come.
“Both teams should be in the Premier League. They are fighting in the Championship and I am still interested in Sunderland and Swansea a lot. I have an affection with both teams. Hopefully they both fight in the right way to get promoted to the Premier League and I will be really pleased from Korea.”