There aren’t too many players as synonymous with Sunderland AFC as Kevin Phillips. He may have only spent six seasons at the Stadium of Light, but he christened that venue with goal after goal, even winning the Premier League Golden Boot in 1999/00.
Now he has returned to the north east as manager of South Shields, who made it to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, where they will take on League One outfit Forest Green Rovers. It’s an area of the country incredibly close to his heart, and one that is also enjoying somewhat of a footballing resurgence.
Newcastle United are now battling it out for the European places under Eddie Howe, one year since they were taken over by Saudi Arabia’s PIF investment fund. Despite the long-standing rivalry, Phillips admits he is pleased to see the Magpies doing well.
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“The feelings are great,” he tells The Sportsman. “I live in the north east now and so I'm only 15 minutes from St. James' Park. So, as much as the Newcastle lot probably don't like me or don't like Sunderland… I'm a football fan. And, for the region and the area, it's been fantastic.
“And, of course, the resurgence of Sunderland getting out of League One and progressing well in the Championship. Considering it's fantastic for the north east in general. And, we all know Eddie Howe is a very, very good manager. Now, he's got the backing of wealthy owners, although they're doing it without really splashing the cash, which we all thought they would.
“So that just shows that Eddie Howe is a good manager, he's very clever, very shrewd. And if he needs to dip in the market he will. So yeah, it's great for the area, there's a real buzz in the north east, and it's great for them. But I'd love to see, the resurgence of Sunderland continue, because they're so passionate up here and when things are going well, it's fantastic. So yeah, there's a real buzz in the north east at the moment.”
His former club Sunderland have enjoyed a positive start to life in the Championship. They currently sit in the top half with genuine ambitions of securing a play-off place, even if things haven’t gone perfectly this term. Manager Alex Neil shocked the Black Cats as he walked out to take the Stoke City job, but the arrival of Tony Mowbray in his place has allowed the club to keep building.
“I think obviously, the injury to Ross Stewart hasn't helped," the former Sunderland striker explains to The Sportsman. "He's been their main goal getter over the last couple of seasons. So that's been a big blow to them. And of course they had to deal with a manager leaving and then Tony coming in. But Tony is a good manager. I worked under him for two years at West Brom. He knows what he's doing.
“And it's a slight transitional period for Sunderland. It took them four years to get out of League One and I for one made it very clear that you can't expect too much this season. Just the thing for me is stay in the Championship and consolidate and then build and they've started exceptionally well considering the circumstances and they'll be fine. I think they'll finish roundabout mid-table and I'd love for them to go on once Ross comes back. Maybe they’ll go on a run and maybe they'll scare the playoffs come the end of the season. But I think for me, it's just to stay in that Championship, consolidate and then next season then they really have to push for the playoffs if not promotion.”
One of the highlights from Phillips' time at Sunderland was his feared strike partnership with Niall Quinn. The duo were a match made in heaven and ran riot in the top flight as Sunderland disrupted the established elite. But do one of the Premier League’s most iconic still keep in touch?
“No, he lives back in Ireland now and he's not involved in football anymore,” Phillips tells The Sportsman. “So I was lucky enough that the old kitman for Sunderland, who was the kitman for 20+ years, had a testimonial match actually at South Shields' ground during the summer. So there was a good turnout for him for ex-players, ex-managers, etc.
“So me and Quinny pulled our boots back on and played up top together. We certainly didn't move as lively as what we did 20 years ago, but it was good, always great. Niall is that sort of person that if I don't speak to him for a year, and then I bump into him or I meet him and it is as if I only saw him yesterday. He has that natural ability to just just be a people pleaser. And he's a fantastic guy. So I don't keep in touch with him very regularly. But when I do, it's like I saw him yesterday. So a great, great guy and a great player.”
