The 2016-17 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak for Sunderland as The Black Cats finished a crushing 20th in the Premier League, ending their ten-year stay in the top flight and confirming relegation. Leading the line was the talismanic veteran striker Jermain Defoe, whose 15 goals proved vital, though ultimately not enough, in a campaign built on struggle and managerial turmoil under David Moyes. It was a dark year defined by the inevitable slide to the bottom of the table and remains a painful, defining chapter in the club's modern history.