Jermain Defoe Sends Touching Farewell To Sunderland After Bournemouth Transfer

At times last season it felt like Jermain Defoe and Jordan Pickford were on a two man mission to keep Sunderland in the Premier League. Once they failed in their mission both men left the club. Now the striker has sent a farewell message to the fans.

Sunderland were seriously poor last season. In other seasons they have somehow managed to keep themselves afloat but from January onwards that never seemed possible, and so it proved by the end of the season.

_{Defoe's goals weren't enough to keep Sunderland up last season. David Moyes side were pretty poor. Image: PA}

Two players stood out for the Black Cats though with young goalkeeper Jordan Pickford doing everything in his powers to keep scores down to a reasonable figure. At the other end the experienced Defoe was the only chance they had of scoring.

Pickford moved to Everton the other week and today that move was followed by Defoe. The 34 year-old forward took to Twitter to post a great message about his time in the north-east:

Defoe famously has built up a wonderful friendship with Bradley Lowery, a young Sunderland fan suffering with neuroblastoma, who has captured the hearts of football fans up and down the country.

And the former West Ham man named the moment that Lowery was a mascot with him in a match against Everton as one of his two highlights whilst at the Stadium of Light along with his important volley in a game against Newcastle that helped them win the derby and went along way to keeping them up.=

Bradley Lowery

_{Defoe's friendship with the young Sunderland fan has really tugged on the heartstrings. Image: PA}

The Englishman returns to Bournemouth for the first time in 16 years having played on the south-coast for the Cherries for one season on loan whilst he was with West Ham.

His 15 goals in the Premier League weren't enough to keep Sunderland up but they very will could be enough to keep Eddie Howe's side up or push them further up the league.

Defoe certainly leaves the Stadium of Light in the right way.

Topics: Jermain Defoe, Sunderland, bournemouth

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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