Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce considers a move for Kevin Nolan

Allardyce replaced outgoing Dick Advocaat at Sunderland, and is rumoured to be considering offering McDonald a role as part of his backroom staff at the Stadium of Light.

He’s tasked with turning the fortunes around for Sunderland, who are second bottom of the Premier League table with just three points after eight games, and it looks like he’s already made progress in terms of recruiting his first player at the club.

As Sam Allardyce takes the reins at Sunderland, an immediate task faces him.

SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown has dismissed speculation linking him to a coaching position at Sunderland.

Nolan, 33, famously scored a derby-day hat-trick for Newcastle against Sunderland, and played under Allardyce at Bolton for almost a decade and also later at West Ham.

Nolan is a free agent after having his contract terminated by West Ham last month, and Allardyce is tempted to offer the 33-year-old a short-term deal at the Stadium of Light, according to the Daily Telegraph.

“I’m looking forward to working with the players and of course I will be relying on the help of the Sunderland supporters”.

Allardyce is understood to have signed a contract worth around £2.5m-a-year, and has been promised a substantial “survival bonus” which will be paid if he is able to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League this season.

For Allardyce the visit of Newcastle comes immediately after his first game at West Brom on Saturday.

The new Sunderland boss needs to be firm about who can help his side stay up.

“Sunderland is a club he knows well and he was the obvious best choice for the job”, Short said. Would you be sad to see McDonald leave?