Steve Harper: “We've struggled away from home, but we seem to like this part of the world.
“We won at Newcastle, beat Middlesbrough in the FA Cup and have now won here (at the Stadium of Light). Sadly, that's the end of the North-East away games!
“I enjoyed it. I've been here a few times now and still not lost. It's always nice to win, and when you've been up the road as long as I was, it always adds a bit extra to it, but the main thing was the result.
“If we'd lost, we could have been 17th, but we won and now we're close to being in and around the top half. That's how tight it is.
“It was a very happy dressing room. There were a few ex-Sunderland lads in there, delighted to come back. And I'm sure the manager was pretty chuffed as well.”
“He's far from being a caricature old-school manager.
“In my first ten games here, we played three different formations. He's also changed formations during games or at half-time and has a real flexibility.
“He's got a good staff and it's a really good football club with a good dressing room. Hopefully, we can kick on. It'll be tough, but with the statement the board made in January by signing quality, proven players, it's given us a great chance.”