Sunderland's fellow Championship rival Blackpool have announced the departure of first team coach Neil Critchley, as he exits Bloomfield Road for pastures new with Aston Villa. The 43-year-old had guided the Seasiders to safety this season but will now link up with Steven Gerrard once more at Villa Park.
Closely associated during their time at Liverpool in the past where he worked as under-23s manager, the decision has come somewhat out of the blue with Villa losing their assistant manager Michael Beale to Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday.
Blackpool will begin their search for a new head coach in due course, but will feel undoubted disappointment given their progress from League One and back into England's second tier this season.