The overwhelming emotion at the end of last season was one of relief, but that was quickly replaced by a new sense of purpose as the search for a new manager began.

It took the Black Cats less than a fortnight to get their man, as Steve Bruce joined the club from Wigan late on Wednesday afternoon.

Quinn explained: “On the Tuesday after the season ended, the board met, a long meeting, our business had frozen for eight weeks but we were staying up and it was great. The last thing on the agenda was the manager.

“It was unanimous about who it was (we wanted). One of the issues was Steve being from Newcastle. We took a coffee break on the Tuesday night, I looked out of my office (at Bob Stokoe’s statue) and saw another mad Geordie in his trilby and raincoat running away from Jimmy Montgomery after winning the FA Cup.

“From that moment on, I thought there’s my answer, I’m not going to worry about that connection again. I could tell from the first moment I spoke with Steve that he wanted to be here.

“That was fantastic because a week earlier I wasn’t sure whether any of us would have a job here. It’s funny how football changes. It’s great.

“It’s not a stop-off job (for Steve). He wants to prove himself. Steve has made us all feel good. Maybe here at Sunderland we are guilty of under-estimating ourselves. It’s invigorated me. We are all delighted that we have got what appears to us as the perfect candidate.”