Sunderland are already preparing for the 2024/25 season – and will come up against some of their former players.
The Black Cats finished 16th in the Championship and will hope for better during the upcoming campaign. We’ve taken a look at some former Sunderland players who are under contract at other second-tier clubs who they could come up against.
![Watmore has just completed his first full season at Millwall, scoring four goals in 34 Championship appearances for the Lions during the 2023/24 campaign. The 30-year-old has a year left on his contract at The Den.](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjE0NTBiZTcyLWRiNmItNDk4ZS05MzRjLTFiMzhkYjkyMWY3YTo5NTRmY2Q1OS1iYzUyLTRlYjgtYTlmMS05MjU3OWY1Y2I2MjU=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
1. Duncan Watmore (Millwall)
Watmore has just completed his first full season at Millwall, scoring four goals in 34 Championship appearances for the Lions during the 2023/24 campaign. The 30-year-old has a year left on his contract at The Den.Photo: Alex Pantling
![Dunne suffered a shoulder injury in pre-season and wasn’t available until October. The 26-year-old still made 29 appearances for QPR during the 2023/24 season, playing regularly at right-back in the final few months of the campaign.](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjQ0ZWI5NzQxLTIxYzktNGI3NC05NWVlLTcxMjBlYWNlZWY2NDo4MWY0NTU2ZC02ZmE0LTQ5ZGQtOWJhMi00N2Y1NTA0MzU5NDU=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
2. Jimmy Dunne (QPR)
Dunne suffered a shoulder injury in pre-season and wasn’t available until October. The 26-year-old still made 29 appearances for QPR during the 2023/24 season, playing regularly at right-back in the final few months of the campaign.Photo: Bryn Lennon
![Gooch signed a two-year deal with Stoke when he left Sunderland last summer. The 31-year-old has made 29 league appearances for the Potters since the move but missed the final eight games of the 2023/24 season with a hamstring injury.](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjc1YWNlNzFiLTYxMzQtNGM5YS05N2RjLWUxM2ViOTBiZjk2YzowZWRlMzQzMi1kNmNhLTQ2YTUtOTk4YS02ZGVhYjM3N2ZmNWY=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
3. Lynden Gooch (Stoke)
Gooch signed a two-year deal with Stoke when he left Sunderland last summer. The 31-year-old has made 29 league appearances for the Potters since the move but missed the final eight games of the 2023/24 season with a hamstring injury.Photo: Nathan Stirk
![After helping Plymouth win promotion from League One while on loan, Mumba joined Plymouth permanently last summer. The 22-year-old has remained a key player at Home Park, making 43 Championship appearances during the 2023/24 season.](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjhiYjFkNTBlLWRjNWUtNDA5My1hZGFjLTFkN2I4MmQ3ZDA1ZTphODZmYWJkMy1iMTRlLTRmNGYtOGIwMC1iZWIzYzE2YjMzMzQ=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
4. Bali Mumba (Plymouth)
After helping Plymouth win promotion from League One while on loan, Mumba joined Plymouth permanently last summer. The 22-year-old has remained a key player at Home Park, making 43 Championship appearances during the 2023/24 season.Photo: Gary Oakley