By his own admission in his autobiography Tackling My Demons, Stan Collymore had grown "disillusioned" with football by the time that he joined Leicester City in February 2000.
However, under the management of Martin O'Neill, the switch from his boyhood club Aston Villa to Filbert Street, initially at least, reinvigorated the centre-forward.
Considering the fact that he had not played since the previous October during a loan stint with Fulham, Collymore made an impressive debut for the Foxes during a 1-1 draw with Watford at Vicarage Road.
Ahead of his first home outing against Sunderland, though, Collymore had heaped a load of pressure on himself. Between the two matches, the Leicester squad had travelled to the Spanish resort of La Manga for some warm-weather training and team bonding. During one night out, Collymore let off a fire extinguisher in the hotel bar - an act that would cost him two weeks' wages and attract a host of negative headlines.
So, when the Black Cats made the trip to Leicester 14 years ago today, Collymore admitted: "I was nervous because people around the city were already accusing me of being a troublemaker who had wrecked the reputation of the team and sabotaged its spirit."
Ultimately, Collymore responded in the best possible fashion. With just 16 minutes on the clock he broke the deadlock as the frontman reacted quickest to sweep Emile Heskey's knockdown into the top corner of Thomas Sorensen's goal with a half-volley from the edge of the area.
Heskey ensured that the hosts would take a 2-0 lead into the break with a low finish, before Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips reduced the arrears eight minutes after the restart.
Having missed a presentable opportunity late in the first half, Collymore restored his new club's two-goal advantage on the hour mark. Neil Lennon was the creator, crossing for the three-time England international to divert a header into the net from 15 yards out.
Niall Quinn then hit back for the away side, but Collymore made sure of the outcome two minutes from time as he completed his hat-trick. Heskey was freed down the right flank and having picked out his strike partner with a drilled cross towards the back post, Collymore was left with a simple tap-in from close range.
There was still time for substitute Stefan Oakes to add a fifth, but it was an afternoon that belonged to Collymore, who said in his book: "I provided the supporters with the best possible response after La Manga. The Leicester dressing room after that match was a very happy place. It felt like a crisis had passed for all of us."
LEICESTER: Flowers; Sinclair, Taggart, Elliott; Guppy, Savage, Izzet, Lennon, Eadie; Collymore, Heskey
SUNDERLAND: Sorensen; Holloway, Makin, Butler, Craddock; Rae, Roy, Schwarz, Kilbane; Quinn, Phillips
Liam Apicella
