Replacing ex Rangers boss with former rival would be 'unbelievable gamble' says Leeds United icon

Sunderland have been linked with a surprise move for St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson as they continue their search for a replacement for former Rangers manager Michael Beale.

The Black Cats finished the 2023/24 Championship season down in a disappointing 16th position in the table.

Beale, who cut ties with Rangers in October last year, lasted only two months at the Stadium of Light before Mike Dodds ended the campaign in interim charge.

The latest name to be linked with the vacancy of the North East outfit is Robinson, who has done an impressive job at the Gers’ fellow Scottish Premiership side St Mirren.

However, former Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday man Carlton Palmer doesn’t believe that he would be the right fit for that role. He has told Football League World: "It has emerged over the last few days that St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson is a candidate for the vacant managers job at Sunderland.

"It's still believed that Will Still is their main target, but if they lose out on him to the French side Lens, then it's come out that the St Mirren boss is on the list of potential replacements.

"The Northern Irishman took the Buddies into Europe, and back-to-back top six finishes. But for me, I think this would be an unbelievable gamble.

"But the way that it's happening at the moment, Sunderland are running out of candidates to take the job, so they are going to have to take a gamble on somebody who's relatively new to management, and the Championship.”

He added: “This has all come about, as we've spoke about before, as the hierarchy want to run Sunderland Football Club. So they're going to have to take somebody who's really desperate to get down there, work under the circumstances they want to deploy, and hope to get some success.

"It would also be a great opportunity for Stephen Robinson, but he's in Europe next season with the Buddies, and I'm sure he would want to stay and experience that opportunity.

"But obviously, Sunderland is a massive football club, no matter what I say about how the club's run and how they want to run it, Sunderland is a massive football club and well supported. So of course, it's a great opportunity."

Robinson took over at St Mirren in 2022 and guided them to a respectable 5th place position in the table. Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Kilmarnock finished above them.

He spent his playing days as a midfielder for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, AFC Bournemouth, Preston North End and Luton Town before hanging up his boots in 2008.

The Northern Irishman subsequently delved into the coaching world and has since also managed Oldham Athletic, Motherwell and Morecambe.

Rangers beat his St Mirren side on four occasions in the past campaign. The most recent clash between the two on was 28th April when Philippe Clement’s men won 2-1.

It remains to be seen whether Sunderland will make an approach for Robinson ahead of next term.