Caldwell in talks

Last updated : 25 January 2007 By Tony Scholes

The 26-year-old defender started his career, along with brother Gary, at fierce rivals Newcastle United and made his debut for them in a 1-0 Premiership win against Manchester City at Maine Road, coming on as a substitute for Stoke defender Andy Griffin.

During his time on Tyneside he had loan spells with Blackpool and Bradford City during the 2001/02 season and then at Leeds two seasons later, playing in thirteen Premiership games for them.

He decided to quit Newcastle at the end of that 2003/04 season and made the surprise move just down the road to join Sunderland and was part of Mick McCarthy's team that won promotion to the Premiership at the end of his first season with the club. He played in all but five of their league games that season, one of those he missed (due to suspension) was our 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Last season saw him back in the Premiership, alongside fellow Scottish international Andy Gray, and he played well over half of the games as Sunderland dropped straight back down again after a disastrous season.

He played in the first two games back in the Championship this season, but in that second game he suffered a medial ligament injury that ruled him out for almost three months. He won his place back in the side and had just settled in before a hamstring injury forced him out of their New Year's Day game against Leicester.