At the time, Sunderland set the record for least points in a Premier League season. Their 19 points saw them finish bottom of the table and relegated to the Championship after five seasons in the top flight.
Peter Reid began the campaign as manager but was sacked in October after seven years at the club. He was replaced by Howard Wilkinson, who had been out of club management for six seasons, but he fell to same fate just five months later in a spell which saw the club pick up only one point after Christmas.
In a final attempt to beat the drop, they appointed Mick McCarthy, but a remarkable run of 15 consecutive defeats saw them set the record for the fewest goals scored by a top-flight club in addition to their lowest point total.
One highlight in what was a miserable year saw them beat Liverpool in December, though that was their final win of the season.
Sunderland: Have failed to score in 20 Premier League matches this season, equalling a club record set in the 2002/03 campaign #ARSSUN pic.twitter.com/eNKKj8vvRp
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 16, 2017