After a summer of much upheaval the previous year, Sunderland’s transfer dealings in the summer of 2008 were less chaotic and more sporadic.
In many ways, the previous season appeared to show that the club were chasing quantity over quality to ensure they had a sizeable squad capable of dealing with the rigours of Premier League football.
In the summer of 2008, things were far quieter and, as the club neared the mid-way point of July, there were still no new players through the doors. This, however, didn’t dispel the countless rumours and murmurings that surrounded the team.
One position on the pitch that needed strengthening was left-back after central defender Danny Collins ended up playing much of the previous season there due to a lack of options. With this in mind, Keane was searching for a natural left-footer.
Reports on this day were linking former Sunderland left-back George McCartney with a return to the club. McCartney had only left Sunderland a couple of seasons earlier when he joined West Ham United but, according to the Sunderland Echo and the Northern Echo, the Northern Irishman appeared to be keen on a move back to the Stadium of Light.
The reports suggested West Ham were initially hesitant to part ways with one of their best-performing defenders from the previous season but with Reading left-back Nicky Shorey becoming available, there was an opportunity to get a deal done.
“Nevertheless, there is a feeling on Wearside that Curbishley could be looking to do business at some stage, as he has earmarked Reading’s Nicky Shorey as a replacement.”
A fee of £6 million was thought to be required to secure the left-back’s return to Wearside, which would have represented a significant increase on the £1 million West Ham paid to sign him two years earlier.
As it transpired, the signing of McCartney was not completed until 1 September due to protracted negotiations with West Ham, who appeared to be in a state of flux with new owners at the helm.
It was also suggested that Sunderland’s signing of McCartney, along with defender Anton Ferdinand, led to the resignation of Alan Curbishley after the departures of two of his key defenders were sanctioned without his prior knowledge.
Upon his return, McCartney made 41 appearances before spending some time on loan at Leeds United, then bizarrely returned to West Ham, meaning he had two spells at both Sunderland and the East London club.
