The 2000-01 campaign was a season of soaring potential for Sunderland as The Black Cats, under the fiery guidance of Peter Reid, finished a strong 7th in the Premier League for the second consecutive year. The team, built on the lethal 'little and large' partnership of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn, briefly occupied second place in the table in February. Leading the charge was Phillips, whose 14 league goals anchored a side that played to massive, newly-expanded crowds at the Stadium of Light. Despite a late-season slump that cost them a coveted European spot, this year marked the height of the club's Premier League success under Reid's charismatic leadership and remains a special, defining chapter for The Black Cats.