OTD: JI DONG-WON BORN

On this day in 1991, former Sunderland forward Ji Dong-Won was born in Jeju City, South Korea. He played 28 times for the club between 2011 and 2014, scoring on two occassions. Ji is best remembered for his last-minute winner on New Years' Day 2012.

Ji Dong-Won was signed for Sunderland by Steve Bruce in the summer transfer window of 2011 from South Korean side Jeonnam Dragons. He joined on a three year deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £2 million. He would fail to make an impression in the Premier League and just couldn't hit the ground running, after all he was still a young lad and had only played one full season of professional football in his homeland. In preseason, he impressed in the Barclays Asia Cup, scoring four goals and grabbing two assists. However, he failed to replicate that form in competitive football. He scored his first goal in the 90th minute against Chelsea in a 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light, a consolation goal, but this wouldn't be his only last minute goal! Steve Bruce was dismissed as manager and replaced by Martin O'Neill, who didn't favour the South Korean front man. Despite this, he would come off the bench with less than a quarter of an hour left on the clock on New Year's Day 2012, to score that now famous winner against Manchester City.

Ji made a run in injury time and played it into Stephane Sessegnon, before the Benin international slipped it back through to the substitute, who was 'onside' (kept on by Gareth Barry, in the linesman's eyes). The South Korean then rounded England goalkeeper Joe Hart and tapped into the empty net, resulting in a 1-0 win and writing himself into Sunderland folklore. Our next boss, Paolo Di Canio, reportedly turned down a £5 million bid for him in the summer transfer window of 2013 and Ji would start under the Italian but fell out of favour after several subpar performances. He was humiliated by Di Canio, who let him start the second half against Milton Keynes Dons, in the League Cup, before subbing him off, allowing the Sunderland fans to cheer his substitution rather than do it at half time. The following week he was brought off at half time after pulling out of a header against Crystal Palce. Paolo said: “I cannot change the heart of my players. One time we did a delivery very well and Ji didn’t push his head forward. I am more disappointed than him. I think also the fans [were] because the expectation on him is very high because he can do much better, even in only keeping the ball. We don’t ask the moon: not lose every ball under pressure. The young fella (Connor Wickham), he can keep the ball much better if they have more desire; and if they play less empty in the brain they can keep the ball much better. At this moment they are empty.”

Things were no better for Ji under manager Gus Poyet. He was loaned out to FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga, before he left Wearside permanently to sign for German giants Borussia Dortmund. He would fail to make an impression at the Signal Iduna Park and would return to Augsburg, permanently this time, before he enjoyed a spell with FSV Mainz 05 (2019-2021) during which he was loaned to Eintracht Braunschweig, in 2021. He then joined FC Seoul of the K League 1 in 2021 (staying until 2023), then he we went to Suwon FC in 2024 (remaining until 2025) and then signed for Macarthur FC of the A League in the same year he departed South Korea. He is due to become a free agent at the end of June 2026. Internationally, he has 55 caps for South Korea and has scored 11 goals for his country.