As the Premier League whistle blew on May 11, 2016, a huge roar of relief boomed round the Stadium of Light.
Sam Allardyce had pulled off another great escape ensuring a tenth consecutive season of Premier League football on Wearside.
The Black Cats were winless from their opening eight games and only had three points when Allardyce arrived on Wearside and he himself openly admitted it would be a big challenge to keep them up.
In hindsight, he needn't have worried.
READ MORE: Sunderland beat Sheffield Wednesday to signing of Stoke defender Danny Batth
In front of 46,000 supporters, the Black Cats ran out 3-0 winners over Everton to ensure Premier League survival with a game to spare - relegating arch-rivals Newcastle in the process.
Allardyce's side lost just once with 11 games to go, including a draw at Arsenal and a 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge.
Without one man's goals, a season in the Championship beckoned.
That man was of course, Jermain Defoe.
With 15 goals in a red and white shirt, the England international wrote his name into Sunderland folklore. The season prior to that Defoe scored a sublime volley over bitter rivals Newcastle at the Stadium of Light.
He's a modern-day Sunderland great. His relationship with Bradley Lowery a shining example of that.
Black Cats fans have long dreamed of a possible return to Wearside for Defoe, but when he penned a new deal with Rangers in the summer and planned to take up a coaching role at Ibrox, that all but quashed any Sunderland dreams.
But, with anything in football - never say never.
Sunderland have now reportedly been in contact with the 39-year-old over a potential short-term deal to bring him back to Wearside.
Of course, the deal has to make sense for all parties, but there's a different feel about this one.
The current side is lacking the final few pieces of a jigsaw that could haul them over the line and back to the Championship.
So how would Defoe fit into that?
The Black Cats faithful need no reminding how previous exploits for aging players have gone and they say you should never go back where you've had success.
However, with Defoe fans are not expecting the back-to-back 15 goal seasons he had in his final two years with the club.
Defoe has played twice for the Gers this season and was unable to find the back of the net. He played 20 times last season, scoring seven times.
The year prior to that - aged 37 - he scored 17 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions.
The goals may have dried up, but Defoe was a huge figure in the dressing room during Allardyce's great escape and Lee Johnson could call upon him with Sunderland flirting with the top spot.
Rotherham United are breathing down their neck, Wigan also have games in hand and Wycombe Wanderers sit top of the pile by one point.
Games in hand do not equate to guaranteed points - as Johnson and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus know all too well.
There are plenty of twists and turns to be had throughout the remainder of the season, but for the Wearsiders to be able to call upon Jermaine Defoe once more - there would be something magical about it.
Something the aforementioned sides wouldn't be able to compete with.
Defoe was someone who understood the city, understood the region, and more importantly, understood what it meant to Sunderland fans.
Even at the age of 39, in League One, you can't buy that experience or relationship with a club.
