An ex-PNE player has been connected to Sunderland’s search for a new manager.

Reports of one former Preston North End man being under consideration for the Sunderland job have been shot down.

The Black Cats are on the search for a new boss, having parted ways with Michael Beale in mid-February and handed Mike Dodds the caretaker role for the rest of the campaign. AZ Alkmaar boss, Pascal Jansen, is said to be the leading candidate at present. He left the Dutch club back in January, after four years.

On Thursday it was claimed that St Mirren boss, Stephen Robinson, was one of the final three in the running – along with Stockport County’s Dave Challinor. However, those reports were swiftly played down.

Robinson was signed by David Moyes for Preston North End in 2000. The Lilywhites paid around £375,000 to land the midfielder from AFC Bournemouth, for whom Robinson played more than 240 games.

He made 29 appearances for PNE before moving on to Luton Town in 2002. The former Morecambe boss took charge of St Mirren in February 2022 and led them to a fifth-place finish in the SPL last season.