Round One continues today with two of the paciest players we've had play for us in recent times, both of whom contributed some unforgettable moments to the club as Djibril Cisse takes on Carlos Edwards...
Djibril Cisse
Djibril Cisse started his Sunderland career as he meant to go on, scoring the winner on his debut at White Hart Lane. After being summoned from the bench by Roy Keane, Cisse duly buried a downward header to send the traveling support into raptures.
The Frenchmen had made a name for himself as a quick, powerful forward and despite two leg breaks earlier in his career at Liverpool, he retained much of his pace. A fine example of this came in the home defeat to Portsmouth. Cisse bagged the opener by pouncing on a ball from deep before outstripping the Pompey defence and slotting home.
He was an opportunist too. His two derby goals are indicative of his ability to be in the right place at the right time. He set the Lads on their way to a first home win over the Mags in almost three decades by reacting quickest to a Steed Malbranque cross shot.
Derby goals create legends on Wearside and his have cemented his place in Sunderland folklore.
In the stands, Cisse was immortalised in one of our finest chants of recent years too. That song sums up why he will forever be a favourite at the Stadium of Light; a flamboyant goalscorer, Sunderland's number 9. (CC)
Carlos Edwards
Ordinarily, it would be hard to write about a man who was effectively only at the top of his game at Sunderland for five months before a serious injury took it's toll. However, what Carlos Edward's achieved in those few months is notable, acting as a catalyst for a superb run of form in the second half of the 2006/07 season that led the club to promotion.
He was just as vital to that run of form as Johnny Evans at the back. His pace and dribbling ability left opposition full-backs in a state of disarray; by the time they'd even realised what had happened, Edwards had gotten past them, pulled their pants down, spanked their arses redder than the Trinidad and Tobago flag and drilled a 25 yard screamer into the top corner of the net.
It will be those wonder-strikes for which Edwards will be most fondly remembered on Wearside. Superb efforts away at Birmingham and in the memorable win at Southampton deserve mentions but, of course, it will be the vital 25 yard screamer at home to Burnley that leaps out whenever Edward's name is mentioned. It was a sensational winner ten minutes from time, and the goal that ultimately sealed promotion to the Premier League. If you were in a coma in 2007 and you can't recall the goal, here's a picture I drew on Paint that really gets a look at how spectacular it was.
It's hard to know what Carlos Edwards would've gone on to do in the top division had his hamstring not snapped in that game at Birmingham too games into the season. However, because of what he achieved those first few months, and because of that goal against Burnley, he is more than worthy of your vote. (LB)
Be sure to make your vote count and send one of these two through to the next round. Make your voice heard below, because you only have until 11pm (GMT) tonight to get your vote in...
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