Lee Cattermole has pretty much seen it all during his time on Wearside.
From Wembley cup finals and great escapes to relegation heartbreak and managerial turmoil, the 31-year-old has been there, seen it and got the proverbial t-shirt.
At times he has come under fire from certain sections of the Black Cats' support, at others he has been hailed as the lynchpin of the Sunderland midfield.
One thing you could never question of the combative midfielder is his desire to succeed. Never afraid to 'get stuck in' Cattermole leads by example both on and off the pitch.
Always a club quick to give younger players their chance, his role as a senior member of Jack Ross' squad has seen him offer advice to those cutting their teeth in professional football.
But it's not just something which he has developed in his older years - it's an attitude he adopted right from the start of his career.
"I've always tried to help others on the pitch, ever since I started at seven or eight years old, that's the way I play," Cattermole revealed.
"I'm no different now at 31 - maybe I'm a bit calmer now - but I try to help the younger players where I can.
"It comes naturally to pass on information; some lads like to ask and others don't, so I try to manage that."
Where Cattermole's future lies after the Black Cats missed out on promotion is again up for debate.
Just 12 months ago it seems likely that his spell on Wearside was over, with the likes of Dylan McGeouch, Max Power and Luke O'Nien signed to cover his potential exit.
A move didn't materialise, however, and Cattermole wasted no time establishing himself as a key member of Ross' side, scoring a grand total of seven goals in League One this term as Sunderland missed out on an automatic promotion spot.
Whether his wages again become an issue this summer remains to be seen, but one thing for sure it that in Cattermole, Sunderland have so much more than a battling ball winner.
