Ex-Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy is in the North East, presumably in order to talk with the club about the Sunderland manager’s position which was vacated yesterday by Chris Coleman.

McCarthy - who had a three year stint in charge at the club between 2003 and 2006 - was spotted eating lunch at the Travelling Man pub in West Boldon, flanked by an elderly gentleman that was wearing an Ipswich Town tracksuit.

The photo of McCarthy outside of the pub was forwarded to Roker Report this afternoon.

McCarthy apparently wouldn’t be drawn on whether he was here to speak with Sunderland.

Sunderland supporters on social media have also passed comment on the former Republic of Ireland gaffer’s appearance in South Tyneside.

Mick McCarthy is at The Travelling Man pub in Boldon. #SAFC — Gary (@GWoods94) April 30, 2018

Another photo, of McCarthy in the BMW garage next door to the pub, surfaced on social media. It seems a bit of a trek coming all this way just to look at a car, eh!

What does this mean? Who knows. I think we can put two and two together though.