whufc.com selects a five-a-side team from players who have represented both West Ham United and Saturday's opponents Sunderland...
1. Ernie England
No goalkeeper has pulled on the colours of both Sunderland and West Ham United.
Left-back Ernie England played 352 times for the Black Cats between 1919-29, making his name with his perfectly-timed right-footed slide tackles that invariably stopped opposition wingers in their tracks.
Signed from non-league Shirebrook for just £100, England helped Sunderland to finish as runners-up in the old First Division in 1922/23.
England was 29 when West Ham United paid £500 to bring him to the Boleyn Ground in October 1930, but his debut did not arrive until 3 January 1931, when the Hammers played out a sensational 5-5 draw with Aston Villa.
England played just five times in Claret and Blue before moving to Mansfield Town and ending his career in the non-league ranks.
2. George McCartney
The Belfast-born Northern Ireland international was a committed, tough and uncompromising defender who became a fans’ favourite at the Boleyn Ground.
A quietly-spoken, amiable character off the pitch, McCartney captained Sunderland to the Championship title in 2005, before joining the Hammers a year later.
After returning to the North East for a less-successful second spell with the Black Cats, he returned to the Boleyn Ground following West Ham’s relegation in 2011, and he played an influential role in the east London side winning promotion via the Play-Offs in May 2012.
Now 35, McCartney has not played professionally since leaving the Boleyn Ground in June 2014.
3. Harry Hooper
One of the oldest-surviving Hammers, Harry Hooper was born in the traditional coal mining village of Pittington in County Durham in June 1933.
Now 83, Hooper joined West Ham United in 1950 after his father Harry Senior was appointed as a coach at the Boleyn Ground, and his form saw him named as a back-up for England’s 1954 FIFA World Cup finals squad.
A skilful winger, Hooper spent six years in east London before enjoying shorter but outstanding spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City, reaching the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final with the Blues in 1960.
Hooper then joined Sunderland, spending three years challenging for promotion from the Second Division, before winding down his career in the non-league ranks.
4. Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson
Sunderland-born centre forward Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson played for his hometown club on no fewer than 154 occasions in the Football League, scoring an impressive 60 goals, across three spells.
The distinctive striker also spent two separate spells in east London, netting 104 goals in 255 games in all competitions, and finishing as leading scorer in 1972/73, 1976/77, 1977/78 and 1978/79.
Amazingly, the prolific Robson also found time to bang in 82 goals in 206 League appearances for Newcastle United at the start of his career, 26 in 72 games for Carlisle United and three in 15 appearances for Chelsea.
After hanging up his boots, Robson coached and scouted for the Black Cats, before ultimately leaving the Stadium of Light in 2013.
5. Jermain Defoe
Signed from Charlton Athletic as a schoolboy, Jermain Defoe spend two-and-a-half seasons in the West Ham United first team from August 2001 until December 2003.
Despite the Hammers’ struggles during that period, the diminutive striker hit the back of the net regularly, scoring 41 times in 105 appearances – 33 of them as a substitute.
Then just 17, Defoe scored on his debut in a League Cup win at Walsall in September 2000, and enjoyed a record-breaking loan spell with AFC Bournemouth later the same year.
The forward went on to enjoy a successful career with Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth before joining Sunderland in 2015. His form there has seen him earn an England recall, and he now has 20 goals in 56 games for his country.