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Entering a new decade often sparks a bout of nostalgia - top Ten lists become as unavoidable as a Simon Cowell Christmas number one and we all laugh at predictions, scientific advancements and political promises that were all made or pledged 10 years ago.

To keep in line with this seemingly mandatory musing, I thought I'd have a look at what Sunderland fans were watching, talking about and, and looking forward to at the end of 1999.

For starters, the seats at the Stadium of Light, all 42,000 of them, were adorned with this kit. Sponsored by Reg Vardy as SAFC moved away from Lambtons and made by Asics for the final time. The away kit from the previous season was kept, but the sponsor was updated.

The summer saw Peter Reid bring in experienced players such as Stefan Schwarz and possibly one of his best signings, Steve Bould. The former Arsenal defender was made club captain and became a rock for Sunderland until his retirement with injury in September 2000.

Other arrivals included the much maligned Kevin Kilbane, Eric Roy and John Oster. Not to mention Milton Nunez. Peter Reid's lack of skill in the transfer market was exposed.

It was a summer of departures as well as fans mourned the loss of Andy Melville, Michael Bridges, Kevin Ball and Allan Johnston. Lee Clark was bought by Fulham manager Paul Bracewell for £3millon after 'T-Shirt-Gate'.

Sunderland started slowly, as always, but their early season form was turned around on the 25 August with the famous 2-1 win in torrential rain at St. James' Park. Kieron Dyer put Newcastle 1-0 up in the 28th minute before Niall Quinn scored this equaliser in the 64th minute and Kevin Phillips bagged this winner in the 75th. Kevin Ball hit his own cross bar in frenetic encounter. The game will also be remembered for Ruud Gullit leaving Alan Shearer on the bench and subsequently losing his job.

Another memorable game was when Sunderland played Manchester United in the last game of the Millennium at the Stadium of Light. The game would end in a 2-2 draw with Gavin McCann putting The Lads 1-0 up after just two minutes and Niall Quinn making it 2-0 in the 13th minute. Roy Keane pulled one back in the first half, but United would leave it typically late to equalise with Nicky Butt making it 2-2 with four minutes to go.

Kevin Phillips would go on to score 30 goals in 36 appearances in the Premier League, becoming the first Englishman to win the European Golden Boot with Quinn bagging 14 for himself.

Thomas Sorensen, Chris Makin, Michael Gray, Paul Butler, and Quinn would also make 30 or more appearances as Reid found a settled core of a first team.

Sunderland would finish the season in 7th place, a remarkable achievement for a promoted side. With 16 wins, 10 draws and 12 defeats, only three of which were at home, Sunderland would wait until November 20th for their first home defeat against Liverpool and only Leeds and Bradford would go on to win at the Stadium of Light.

View the final 1999/2000 league table

The 99/00 season would be one of the most successful and enjoyable seasons in recent history. The potential of the club seemed to have been realised and they appeared to be on their way to European football before long.

According to the Daily Mail Fabio Capello is considering calling up 19-year-old Jordan Henderson to his next England squad.

Sunderland-born Henderson has broken into Steve Bruce's first team this season and impressed with two goals in all competitions making 19 appearances so far and this rumoured call-up will come as a complete surprise to the youngster.

The chances of Henderson making an England squad before the likes of Jenas, Huddlestone, Hargreaves and even his Sunderland team mate Cattermole are slim and surely this article is just the talk of a bored journalist.

What do you think, does Henderson, who has never been capped by the England U21 squad deserve a call-up to the full squad?

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Lee Cattermole could be back training with the first team within a week, Steve Bruce has said.

Cattermole, 21, signed from Wigan in the summer and has been taking part in light sessions as part of his rehabilitation programme following the knee injury he sustained against Liverpool in October.

The combative midfielder damaged ligaments during Sunderland's 1-0 win and was stretchered from the field.

Sunderland fans as well as Bruce himself admit that the side have missed the £6m England U21 international, who has been limited to only eight appearances this season, having only lost twice - against Chelsea and Stoke - when Cattermole has started.

"We're expecting Lee to join in training with the first team squad within the next seven days, fingers crossed," Bruce said.

Don't get your hopes up though, Cattermole is not expected to appear in the first team until after Christmas.

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George McCartney came through the ranks at Sunderland and the prospect of having another 'home grown' (McCartney was born in Belfast, but signed for Sunderland as a 17-year-old) left back to replace the ageing legs of Michael Gray, excited us Mackems.

McCartney was raw, but promising and soon became a first team regular, and before long became club captain. However, upon relegation from the Premier League, the Northern Ireland international was sold to West Ham in a deal that saw Clive Clarke plus £600,000 move to Wearside.

It was seen as no great loss, despite Clarke's inability to perform consistently, or even break into he first team, but Danny Collins stepped up and made the position his own, winning Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. McCartney soon became the forgotten man.

McCartney always seemed to be injured at Sunderland. He was at the club for eight years from trainee to pro yet only made 134 appearances yet made 61 in just 18 months at West Ham. Having moved back to the North East in 2008, the left back has only started 25 games in all competitions.

With Sunderland growing in stature and attracting bigger name players to the SoL, now would be the time to snap up a shiny new defender to replace the Rich Tea legged McCartney. He is to Sunderland what Kieran Dyer is to West Ham, Owen Hargreaves is to Manchester United and Jimmy Bullard is to Hull City.

It isn't just his injuries though, McCartney never impresses going forward and his crossing is slack. With big strikers in Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones, you'd expect crosses to be key, even more so with Andy Reid and Steed Malbranque on the wings.

McCartney's passing in last two appearances

In McCartney's last two games, he has failed to make a successful cross. His short passing is accurate enough, completing 73% of his passes in his last two games, but he isn't attacking, penetrative or incisive as he needs to be.

With Andy Reid, Kieran Richardson and Steed Malbranque all available to play on the left or midfield, and with Adam Johnson rumoured to be coming in, Sunderland fans are longing for a left back who can reignite the days of Michael Gray and Alan Johnston.

Perhaps I am being too harsh on Sunderland's longest serving player, though spread over two spells. What do you think? Is McCartney good enough? Which left back would you like to see Sunderland sign?

So, Kenwyne Jones returns after his three match suspension on Sunday, and I for one am delighted to see him back.

The season so far has seen Darren Bent grab the headlines and been the media's North East darling, but Jones has played his part as well.

Sending off aside, Jones has played a vital role, taking the pressure off Bent as being the big man in the team as well as contributing with five league goals of his own.

With Jones in the side, it means that Bruce can revert to his favoured 4-4-2 formation rather than the 4-5-1 that proved ineffective against Wigan.

I expect to see Jones partner Bent up front with Reid, Henderson, Cana and Malbranque in midfield. McCartney, Da Silva, Turner and Bardsley should play in front of Fulop, who has been linked with a move to Aston Villa, in goal.

John Mensah has been ruled out through injury and Anton Ferdinand should keep his place on the bench as he looks to be out of favour with Bruce.

Keep an eye on the bench at Craven Cottage this Sunday, as there could be a face you don't recognise. Young Ryan Noble has been promoted to the first team squad as Bruce looks for more attacking options.

It should be an interesting game, both teams can play expansive, attacking football at times have have been prone to the odd defensive mistake. Fulham have lost twice at home this season while Sunderland have only managed one away win on the opening day against Bolton.

Bruce will see this as a winnable game, as will Hodgson. I think that with Jones back in the fold, Sunderland will have a renewed vigour, but it won't be enough to win the game. A score draw beckons I think.

Sunderland could move up to 5th place if results go their way, while if Fulham win, they could leapfrog Sunderland and move into eighth place.

Bookies tip? Jones to score and result to be a draw.

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Darren Bent has been called up to Fabio Capello's latest England squad and what great news it is. He becomes the first Sunderland player to appear in an England shirt since Kevin Phillips played against the Netherlands in 2002.

However, despite the fact that it is wonderful to have a familiar name in the England set-up once again, and it is much deserved, how typical it is that it happens in a game that needlessly takes place in Qatar.

Bent will be traveling half way around the world to take part in the game, but it will be fascinating to see if the former Ipswich, Charlton and Spurs man gets to have a go against the Brazilians.

The call-up comes after Bent has scored eight goals this season and will no doubt cheer him up after his penalty miss at the weekend.

Congratulations Darren, you deserve it.

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When Steve Bruce decided to sell Carlos Edwards and Grant Leadbitter in the summer, it was met with understanding. They were two fringe players who were integral, certainly the former, but could not make to step up to the Premier League. The eye-raising transfer however came when Teemu Tainio left on loan to Birmingham.

Fans were happy, and critics impressed, with Bruce's decisions to bring in Lee Cattermole and Lorik Cana but it was plain to see from the off that both players would pick up suspensions and injuries, due to the very nature of their game. Without Tainio, Jordan Henderson was the only serious option for a replacement.

Tomorrow sees Sunderland travel to White Hart Lane without their first choice midfield. In fact, they will be without Bolo Zenden, Jon Mensah and Kenwyne Jones as well, with Fraizer Campbell remaining doubtful. It is at this point that one must question Bruce's decision to let the Finn leave, especially on loan.

Bruce doesn't appear to have enough players let alone enough quality to play a five-man midfield, especially with his apparent dislike of George McCartney meaning Kieran Richardson is playing as a left back.

So, who will play? Let's start from the back. Gordon, Bardsley, Turner are all starters, surely. The midfield injury problems may see the return of McCartney at left back, with one from Ferdinand, Nosworthy and Da Silva playing alongside Turner.

Richardson then will join Malbranque, Reid and Henderson in midfield. Bent will be playing against his old club, and he may be joined by Campbell, another ex-Spurs player if he can get fit in time. If not, then perhaps Daryl Murphy will play on the left of midfield or alongside Bent. Or maybe David Healy will get his first league start of the season. A long shot could be Roy O'Donovan who got a hatrick for the reserves in midweek.

Spurs meanwhile will welcome back Jermaine Defoe and Jonathan Woodgate - what will likely be the only two changes to the side that lost at Arsenal last weekend.

Bruce certainly has some options, and it will be very interesting to see what his team selection will be. What do you think?

If you look at Sunderland's start to the season - WLWLWLWDWL - it looks vaguely impressive. An away win at Bolton on the opening day of the season looked to be a sign of things to come.

Sunderland normally find it difficult to win those so-called easier games, so get three points from the first of many was seen to be great progress. However, subseqent defeats at the hands of Stoke, Burnley and Birmingham have dampened expectations and proved Steve Bruce right when he claimed that his side lack the 'big club' mentality.

The fighting spirit and the urge to cause an upset is as rife as ever, as shown with a draw at Old Trafford and a win against Liverpool, but, as always, no matter what players are on the pitch or who is sitting in the dug-out, we struggle to beat the smaller sides.

Personally, I'm a big fan of what Alan Irvine is doing at Preston in the Championship. Since his arrival at Deepdale, he has operated a 'win at home, don't lose away' modus operandi that has seen, firstly, survival ensured and latterly play-off football.

Now I know that is not the key to taking the club forward, but in this, what is surely a season of mid-table mediocrity that all fans are crying out for, a point at Turf Moor, The Britannia or St Andrews would have been welcomed.

With Aston Villa and West Ham visiting the Stadium of Light this week, it will be interesting to see how the players do after a humbling defeat in the Midlands.

I don't get to see Sunderland play much these days. Living in London, a distinct lack of money and working as a freelance football reporter all hinder my chances of catching The Lads, home or away.

In fact, when I took my seat at the Wolves game on Sunday, it was my first game watching Sunderland from outside the press box since the Boxing Day draw against Blackburn Rovers last season.

I went to the game with someone who had never been to a football match before, and what a game to take her to. It certainly wasn't one for the purists; two own goals, two penalties, a deflected goal, an indirect free-kick and stray pass after stray pass, but it made for a scintillating watch for my football-virgin friend.

She was impressed by the atmosphere, the adrenaline and the passion. 'The noise,' she said 'when the first goal went in was amazing - I've never heard anything like it!'

To a longstanding fan - the atmosphere was average and the display was poor but to a newcomer, well, let's just say she's caught the football bug.

Job Cohen, the Mayor of Amsterdam has said that he wants to ban Sunderland from the upcoming Amsterdam tournament due to the fact that Newcastle are playing in nearby Utrecht on the same day.

Apparently, fear of crowd trouble is the reason behind Cohen's concerns, but wouldn't it be easier to cancel the Newcastle friendly? Sunderland are involved in a major pre-season competition that 4,000 tickets have already been snapped up while Newcastle are playing in one pre-season friendly that can be re-arranged.

Pardon the slight favouritism here, but weren't the Newcastle fans also the ones who caused crowd trouble at the Tyne-Wear derby at St James' Park back in February? Central Station had to be closed down as riot police fought to contain Geordie fans from throwing bottles and other objects.

Who do you think should cancel their plans?