Sunderland fans send clear Roy Keane demand amid ongoing manager search

Sunderland fans have backed Roy Keane to return for a sensational second spell in charge at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats' search for Lee Johnson's successor remains ongoing, with interim boss Mike Dodds suffering defeats against Doncaster Rovers and Cheltenham Town.

Sunderland have slipped to fourth in the League One table following the latest losses, two points adrift of second-placed Wigan Athletic who still hold four games in hand.

Keane remains the favourite to be appointed for a second spell on Wearside, having taken his first foray into management with the club in 2006 and guiding them from the Championship relegation zone to the Premier League.

The former Republic of Ireland international has not held a post in the sport since a brief spell as Nottingham Forest's assistant manager in 2019.

Keane has become prominent for his work as a pundit in recent years, but this time out of management has not deterred Sunderland fans from naming him as their preferred candidate.

In a survey conducted by ChronicleLive asking who the next manager of Sunderland should be, 55% of respondents selected the former Black Cats boss.

Another ex-Sunderland manager was next on the list, with a speculative return for Sam Allardyce raking in 10.9% of the vote. Former Hull City manager Grant McCann came in third after being picked by 10.3% of fans.

No other candidate was able to garner more than 5% of the vote, with Neil Warnock, Patrick Kisnorbo and Neil Lennon all struggling to gain much backing from the fanbase.