Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has urged the club to hire Sam Allardyce as their new manager.

Dick Advocaat recently informed the Black Cats that he would not be extending his stay at the Stadium of Light after keeping the team in the Premier League.

With Allardyce out of a job following his departure from West Ham United, Quinn believes that the 60-year-old is ideally suited to managing Sunderland.

"There are some nice candidates," he told Sky Sports News. "Big Sam wandering around the place, maybe he is at the top of people's list. There are some foreign managers too.

"Looking at the betting lists, it's quite intriguing. I think (they need) someone who can get them away from that fear that runs through the football club when they start off badly in the football season, as has happened in a good few seasons. I certainly would check out if Big Sam was interested."

Sunderland finished the Premier League season three points above the relegation zone.