page_title: 2007–08 Sunderland A.F.C. season
section_title: August
hierarchical_section_title: 2007–08 Sunderland A.F.C. season / Review / August
caption_attribution_description: Birmingham City vs Sunderland AFC at St. Andrews on 15 August 2007
context_page_description: The 2007–08 season was the 113th full season in Sunderland A.F.C.'s history, their 107th in the league system of English football and 7th in the Premier League. After finishing 1st in the Championship during the 2006–07 season, Sunderland were promoted to the Premier League as champions. Sunderland had been relegated in the 2005–06 season with the record low points tally at the time of 15. The 2007–08 season was Roy Keane's first as a manager in the Premier League having won the Championship in his debut season.
  Keane introduced 12 new signings in pre-season and allowed seven players to leave the club. They won their first game of the season, but subsequently started to struggle for points, winning just two games in their first 16. Their longest winning streak came towards the end of the season as they won three consecutive games. This late run helped Sunderland finish 15th, though they only won two away games, of which the first came in late March. The team suffered first round exits in two of the cup competitions they entered: in the second round of the League Cup and the third round of the FA Cup. Kenwyne Jones was the club's top goalscorer, recording 7 goals in the league.
context_section_description: Sunderland's season started against Tottenham Hotspur on 11 August 2007. Sunderland won the game through a last minute goal from Michael Chopra in front of an attendance of 43,967. Their second game of the season was an away fixture to Birmingham City, a Paul McShane own goal had put Sunderland behind in the 28th minute, but Michael Chopra scored his second goal of the season to equalise. Birmingham took the lead again through Garry O'Connor but Sunderland scored another last minute goal, this time from Stern John to save a point. On 24 August ex Manchester United and Newcastle United striker Andy Cole joined the club on a free transfer from Portsmouth. Sunderland travelled to the JJB Stadium unbeaten on 18 August but lost 3–0 to Wigan Athletic. On 25 September Liverpool beat Sunderland 2–0 to give them their second consecutive defeat. On the same day, Tobias Hysén returned to his native Sweden with IFK Göteborg after he and his wife were suffering from home sickness. Luton Town produced a league cup shock as they beat Sunderland 3–0 at Kenilworth Road. Sunderland signed three more players before the transfer deadline; Ian Harte from Levante on a free transfer, Danny Higginbotham from Stoke City for £3 million, and Kenwyne Jones from Southampton for £6 million with Stern John going in the opposite direction.
caption: Sunderland playing against Birmingham City on 15 August 2007 at St. Andrews
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