Ex-Aston Villa and Birmingham City star applies for vacant Championship job

A former Aston Villa and Birmingham City star has applied for the vacant Sunderland job, with the Black Cats looking for a new boss ahead of next season. Sunderland have sacked two managers this season, with Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale both falling short of the expectations of the owners.

Mike Dodds is in temporary charge and will remain in the position until the end of the season. The Wearside outfit are determined not to rush the process this time around, hoping to get the decision right ahead of next season. Sunderland were in the play-offs last season and looked as though they would compete for a top six spot this season, but they have fallen away significantly, now looking likely to wind up in mid-table.

In the meantime, a former Villa, Blues and Sunderland forward in Dwight Yorke has applied for the role, revealing: "I've always kept my eye on Sunderland, simply because I had a successful time there. Even though I was at the end of my career, getting them promoted and playing a part in things, it was probably one of my greatest achievements, in the sense that my role as a player had changed. I was surprised at how big a club it was when I got there, but the fanbase is terrific. It's a great stadium, it's a great set-up and I can only assume things have improved further over the last few years in terms of the facilities.  "Seeing the changes of managers, watching the team knock on the door for promotion, getting relegated to League One, I've seen a lot of Sunderland to know exactly what is going on up there. It's a club that I've actually handed my CV into recently, if I'm honest, because I want the job.  I know enough of Sunderland; I lived in the area for nearly three years, and so I understand the culture up there, and what the supporters want and expect from that team, and what the team means to them." Yorke came through the Villa academy before making more than 230 league appearances for the club. He went on to represent United, Blackburn, Blues, Sydney FC and Sunderland. As a manager, his only experience has come with Australian side McCarthur.