Sunderland legend Kevin Ball has left his ambassadorial role with the club, the Black Cats have confirmed.
It brings to an end Ball's three-decade association with the club during which encompassed almost a decade as a player - much of which was spent as captain - before going on to become coach, academy manager, and occasional caretaker-manager before becoming a club ambassador in 2014.
The 57-year-old, known to all on Wearside as 'Bally', was furloughed from his ambassadorial role in 2019 when the Covid pandemic struck and he has not returned to work since.
Ball joined Sunderland from Portsmouth in a £350,000 deal in the summer of 1990 and went on to make almost 400 appearances for the club - playing in the 1992 FA Cup final and later helping the Black Cats win promotion to the Premier League in 1996 and 1999 - before leaving to join Fulham in December 1999.
He was named as Sunderland's player of the year on four occasions, in 1990-91, 1992-93, 1994-95 and 1996-97.
He ended his playing career at Burnley but was brought back to Sunderland in a coaching capacity by Mick McCarthy in 2003, and later took on coaching responsibilities for the club's U18 and U21 sides, and helped develop the careers of future England internationals Jordan Henderson and Jordan Pickford.
Ball was also twice asked to step in as caretaker manager, in 2006 following the departure of McCarthy and again in 2013 between the reigns of Paolo Di Canio and Gus Poyet.
Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus said: "Kevin is a Sunderland AFC legend in the truest sense of the word and he will always be welcome at the Stadium of Light.
"As a player, coach and ambassador, he has embodied the spirit of Sunderland and set an example to all of those around him, including players and staff.
"We thank him for his immense contribution and wish him well for the future."
A statement from the club added: "All at SAFC place on record their gratitude to Kevin for his leadership and friendship and we wish him and his family the very best for the future."
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