Steve Bruce landed Sunderland AFC a leader from Man Utd whose service won't be forgotten: View | OneFootball

John O'Shea played over 250 times for the Black Cats, proving to be one of the North East club's best ever pound-for-pound signings

John O’Shea’s transfer from Manchester United to Sunderland in July 2011 was a significant move for all parties.

It was arguably the last positive impact made by Steve Bruce on the club, using his United connections to convince the Irishman in ending his 12-year spell at Old Trafford.

A versatile defender who could also play in midfield, O'Shea made 393 appearances for Alex Ferguson's United, with major honors including, but not limited to, five Premier League titles and a Champions League.

Though featuring heavily in one of the greatest British club sides ever assembled is nothing to scoff at, O'Shea was almost always on the periphery of the stardom surrounding the club.

At 30-years-old, the 2011 Mackem transfer presented an entirely new challenge, as he would instantly become one of the most recognisable names in the squad.

O'Shea brought a wealth of experience to Sunderland

Bruce's Black Cats had finished the 2010-11 Premier League season in 10th place, while the Wearside club would bite your hand off for those fortunes at present, supporters would have felt slightly disappointed with the manor in which they ended in mid-table.

Up until February 4th, the club found themselves pushing for European football in 6th place after a tremendous start to the season. A string of nine games without a win, however, meant Sunderland actually found themselves flirting with relegation by April.

What could have caused this sensational dip in form? Perhaps the pressure proved too much for Bruce's young side, who with an average age of 25.1 were the second least experienced in the league.

With this most definitely in mind, Bruce's transfers that summer saw an entire back-four's worth of 30-something defenders with Premier League experience.

Loan acquisitions of Wayne Bridge and former Liverpool centre-half Sotirios Kyrgiakos were complemented by a permanent pair of recent Premier League winners leaving Old Trafford, the aforementioned O'Shea and Wes Brown.

Having played over 10,000 Man United minutes alongside Brown, conceding just 158 times in 184 games with both on the pitch, securing the services of both together was a tantalising prospect for the Makems.

This projected defensive solidity was somewhat realised as O'Shea and co. conceded just 46 goals during the 2011-12 campaign, equal to Chelsea and three less than Arsenal. However it was their inability to score goals themselves that would eventually see Bruce sacked in November, just four months after the ex-United men.

He didn't appear to mind, however, as in September 2012, he gladly accepted the captain's armband.

Providing stability in an uncertain time for Sunderland

In a turbulent period for the club, O'Shea would have six different managers across his first three seasons in the North East.

Paolo Di Canio was fortunate not to relegate the club as they finished 17th, just three points in front of Wigan Athletic.

O'Shea had been vital to survival, playing the most minutes of any outfield player, and comanding a back-line that had lost Wes Brown to injury for the seasons entirety. He also scored his first two Stadium of Light goals, the latter an absolutely crucial equaliser against Stoke in May.

The following season, now under Gus Poyet, Sunderland would reach the League Cup final. There was personal pride for O'Shea as the Wearside club defeated Manchester United in the two-legged semi-final.

Walking the black cats out at Wembley on the day, his side almost caused an upset against Man City, leading 1-0 well into the second-half. Unfortunately, a Yaya Toure screamer began an onslaught that meant the Irishman would not, in fact, be lifting Sunderland silverware.

Further Struggles, Relegation and beyond

Between 2014 and 2017, Sunderland continued to consistently find themselves in relegation contention, narrowly escaping the drop in multiple seasons.

Poor recruitment, managerial instability, and limited squad depth plagued the club. Despite last-minute survival efforts, most notably Sam Allardyce's in 2016, who led an incredible rescue mission, the team could never steer the ship away from danger fully.

A long time coming, the 2016-17 season ultimately ended with relegation for Sunderland and a now 36-year-old O'Shea, marking the end of the club's 10-year stay in the top flight.

O'Shea, who is currently an assistant Head Coach at Republic of Ireland, unfortunately endured a further relegation in 2018 as the club sunk to England's third-tier for the first time in 30 years. Understanding he was becoming part of the problem, O'Shea left the Black Cats on a sorry note and retired the next season.

O'Shea's legacy at Sunderland

The Waterfordian's tenure at Sunderland admittedly ended in disastrous circumstances, though his services for the club, which eventually amassed to over 250 matches, may be unfairly dismissed purely because they coincided with an extended period of behind the scenes turmoil.

In fact, the club was in such a sorry state that it is much more reasonable to speculate that for a while, O'Shea was one of the main reasons that the Black Cats managed to evade the drop for as long as they did.

It takes a special kind of character to put up with the inevitable criticism that comes from captaining a club with such passionate fans, especially during their least successful period in modern memory. But O'Shea was just that, and although the list will not be exhaustive, you'd struggle to find a true Mackem that didn't have something nice to say about him.