By Andrew McKenzie

Whitehead captains Sunderland in the absence of injured Steve Caldwell

It has been a hectic few months at the Stadium of Light.

Over the summer, Sunderland were relegated from the Premiership, with a record low points tally, had a change of ownership and appointed former striker Niall Quinn as their chairman.

But the biggest shock came with the news that former Manchester United and Celtic midfielder Roy Keane was taking over as manager.

Dean Whitehead, who has been captain in every game since Keane's arrival, gave BBC Sport an insight of the ups and downs of the last couple of months - from the viewpoint of the players.

On 22 August, Sunderland lost 2-0 in the League Cup at Bury, who were propping up League Two. It meant that the Black Cats had kicked off the new Championship season with their fifth defeat in a row.

I don't think we were playing that badly but we lost a poor goal at Coventry on the opening day and we seemed to carry on conceding bad goals at bad times.

It knocked our confidence - we weren't losing by big margins but they were big enough.

It was a tough time. Niall had everything on his shoulders - he was chairman and manager and trying to buy the club at the same time.

We had not really seen the manager's angry side until Ipswich

After the defeat at Bury not a good word was said about the club.

Niall came into the changing room after the game to say a few words and said what he said to the press - about bringing in a world-class manager.

We didn't have a clue who it would be or when it would happen.

Of course, the players talked about who it might be - every team does that sort of thing.

We kept guessing and we chucked everybody's name in - Jurgen Klinsmann, we went through them all.

I think a few said Roy - perhaps they had some inside knowledge!

It was just a bit of banter but we were happy with who we got.

Six days after the loss at Bury, Keane was in the stands at the Stadium of Light to witness a 'different' Sunderland side beat West Brom 2-0, with Whitehead scoring one of the goals.

We all knew something was happening and that Roy was watching in the stands.

You probably do try a little harder - you should do it for every game but we had that extra pressure of him being up in the stands watching us.

We needed the result for ourselves anyway and we played really well.

I think he signed his contract after the game and came in briefly to tell us what he expects and what he wants. It was very brief but very positive.

I wouldn't say the players were scared - we were just looking forward to what was going to happen to the club.

On 29 August, Keane was officially unveiled as Sunderland's new manager, with his former Nottingham Forest team-mate Tony Loughlan moving from Leicester's youth academy to become his assistant.

From the start, training was very good. The sessions were sharp and of good quality.

Quinn (left) handed Keane his first managerial role

Tony Loughlan has been excellent as well. He does most of the training and the gaffer just watches our every move.

We then got some new players in on transfer deadline day and it was a hectic time - six new faces turning up at training.

Some people worry about new signings coming in but others see it that you have just got to fight for your position.

If you do not produce on the pitch there are people who can come in - you have to use it as a positive.

Keane had to wait until 9 September for his first game, a trip to Derby that was followed by a visit to Leeds four days later.

We started well at Derby but conceded a goal just before half-time and it felt like the same old story again.

FOLLOW THE LEADER Sunderland have sold every ticket for all four away games under Keane: Derby - (4,618 fans) Leeds - (4,912) Ipswich - (1,733) Preston - (5,747)

At half-time the manager did not really say much. He just told us to make sure we trust each other with the ball and work for each other and we can get back in the game and win it.

We got a goal within a few minutes and we just looked to get stronger and stronger from that point and we went on to win the game.

With nearly 5,000 fans there it was a good day at the office.

Afterwards the manager just said how well we had responded to what he had said and that he expected that every week.

Then we played really well at Leeds and battered them from the first to last whistle - winning 3-0 but the victory could probably have been by more goals.

It was another great away win and we were definitely off and running.

Over 35,000 fans saw a jaded Sunderland side come from behind to earn a point against Leicester in Keane's first home game but the unbeaten run ended with a 3-1 defeat at Ipswich.

We had not really seen the manager's angry side until then.

Keane has a burning desire to bring success to Sunderland

At Ipswich we let ourselves down. We did not play well from the start and were not really at the races.

He let every single player know that it wasn't acceptable and he wouldn't allow it.

It wasn't so much shouting - he just makes sure he gets his point across and makes sure you know when it is not acceptable.

He won't allow us to drop the standards he expects of us. It's the same in training - if you don't train well you don't play.

He expects the standards in training, games and everything around the place to be at the very top.

Sunderland got back to winning ways at home to Sheffield Wednesday and Keane used the international break to take the squad to Portugal for a few days.

We did some good work in the morning and then had a bit of time to bond as a team in the afternoon, which was really good.

Keane enjoys training at Sunderland

We went down to the water park, just messing about as a group of lads and playing a bit of golf and relaxing together.

Roy is the boss and everyone knows that - he will do what he wants to do but we are all in it together.

He was joining in with the rest of us and loving it on the waterslides.

It was a good trip, we have come back and had good some training sessions and now we are all focusing on a good result at Preston.

Our fans are filling our end again, we're doing that wherever we go so hopefully we can put on a show for them.

It was a very difficult season last year for everybody involved but now we are looking to the future.

We have new players and seem to have more hunger in the squad than before.