Former Manchester United and Aston Villa star Dwight Yorke has revealed that he has applied for the vacant Sunderland job.

The 52-year-old spent the final three years of his playing career with the Black Cats after joining in 2006.  

He scored six goals in 56 appearances for the north-east club.

‘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.’

Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke has applied for the vacant Sunderland job

Yorke spent the final three years of his playing career with the Black Cats from 2006 to 2009

Yorke had a six-month stint in charge of A-League side Macarthur FC and led the club to its first trophy after winning the 2022 Australia Cup Final.

He left the club in January 2023.

And he has handed his CV in to the club, with the hotseat being vacant since Michael Beale was sacked last month.

‘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.

‘It’s very difficult to assess what’s going on behind the scenes when you’re not in it. You can only assume things, and that can sometimes be a dangerous thought process.

‘The important thing would be to go in there and stabilise things. Most importantly, I’m a football fan through and through, and so the football aspect is my biggest concern.

‘You’ve got to get the players to buy into whatever you’re doing, you don’t know what the relationship is like between board and management, and exactly what is going on.

‘But, watching from the outside, you can only look at what’s going on on the pitch, and they’re underachieving, in my opinion.

Yorke had a six-month stint in charge of A-League side Macarthur FC in 2022

‘They should be far closer to the play-off spots, if not threatening the automatic spots.

‘That should be the expectation at a club like Sunderland. You know you’ve got a terrific fanbase and a fantastic stadium and that Sunderland is – or should be – a very difficult place to go and get a result if you’re the opposition.

‘There’s a strong base to build from, and a club with a good record of winning promotion. ‘

Sunderland are currently 12th in the Championship, 11 points off Norwich in sixth.