Four ex-Hartlepool United players and two former managers all appear in odds for Sunderland's next boss

But can you guess who they are?

One name in particular will have many Poolies shaking their heads in disbelief.

We will come back to him shortly.

For now, it is probably best to come clean and say that one of the players is also one of the managers,

Former Middlesbrough midfielder Craig Hignett, who played twice for Pools in 2007 and later had two spells in charge of the club, is rated a 33-1 chance by leading bookmaker BetVictor.

So that leaves four names for you to find among the supposed contenders to replace Tony Mowbray.

Former Pools winger Neil Warnock (also 33-1 with BetVictor) is probably the easiest to guess after leading four clubs – there’s another quiz question for you – to the top flight.

Joining them at the same price with the same firm is former Hartlepool United midfielder Brian Barry-Murphy.

Barry-Murphy played seven games on loan under Chris Turner in 2002 before joining him at Sheffield Wednesday in 2003 after leaving Preston North End.

Formerly Rochdale’s manager, he is now boss of Manchester City’s elite development squad.

Further up the pecking order, Paul Heckingbottom, who actually joined Pools on loan from Sunderland in 1998, is 4-1 with many bookmakers following his own dismissal from Sheffield United on Tuesday.

As for the last Pools link, back down at 33-1 with BetVictor is Paul Hartley.

The former Scottish international midfielder was sacked by Pools last season after failing to win a league game following his arrival in the summer of 2022.

Relegation from the Scottish Championship also followed after a rapid return to Cove Rangers in January.

While they are handily placed for promotion from Scottish League One in third place – Hartley also boasts five Scottish promotions on his managerial CV – it would be a major surprise if he became Sunderland’s 14th permanent boss (can you name them all?) in the last decade.

So who do the bookies rate as the likely choice to fill the red and white hot seat?

Plymouth Argyle boss Stephen Schumacher, who led the Pilgrims to the Championship, is the 2-1 favourite with bet365 and William Hill.

Frenchman Julian Sable, the assistant manager of Nice, is second favourite with many bookmakers at 100-30.

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