Neil Warnock interested in Sunderland head coach vacancy as Black Cats continue their search

Neil Warnock is the latest manager to express interest in the vacant Sunderland head coach post.

Sunderland are searching for a replacement for Lee Johnson after he was sacked on Sunday evening in the wake of the Black Cats' 6-0 defeat at Bolton 24 hours earlier.

Much-travelled Warnock is out of work after leaving Middlesbrough in November and is understood to have contacted Sunderland about the role, potentially with a view to taking charge initially until the end of the season.

The 73-year-old has eight promotions on his CV, including four via the play-offs - having lifted Cardiff City, QPR, Sheffield United, Plymouth Argyle, Huddersfield Town, Notts County (twice) and Scarborough, from one division to the next.

Two of those promotions have been achieved from the third tierr, with Notts County going up through the play-offs in 1990 and Plymouth via the play-offs in 1996.

Warnock was in the frame for the Sunderland job in the early 1990s but delayed his decision while the Black Cats embarked on an FA Cup run which saw Malcolm Crosby lead them all the way to the final, and ultimately that run saw Crosby given the job instead.

Warnock took over at Middlesbrough the season before last when the Teessiders were in relegation danger with nine games remaining and he steered them out of trouble.

Last season they fell short of the Championship play-offs, and this term he left the Riverside Stadium with the club 14th in the table.

Warnock friend and former Barnsley teammate Mick McCarthy is also understood to be interested in the Sunderland job, and in his case it would mean a return to Wearside 16 years after he was sacked by the club.

McCarthy spent three years in charge, taking over the club in 2003 when it was already on