9) John O’Shea – Sunderland: 12,975 minutes
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Once the versatile player Manchester United treasured (he even kept in goal on one occasion), O’Shea won it all before his move to Sunderland in 2011 at the age of 30. But the Irish defender may have aged beyond his years during his time at the Stadium of Light.
Relegation is a sword that perennially hangs above the Black Cats and the club’s vice-captain has seen it all every season. Escaping relegation by the skin of their teeth is a speciality but it does look like they will go down this season as they sit rock bottom.
O’Shea has primarily been deployed as a centre-back but has taken up the role of a defensive midfielder on a couple of of occasions this season. At 35, it looks more and more likely that this could be his final season as a starter – at least in the top flight.
