Andy Cole has completed his move to Sunderland after signing a one-year deal. The 35-year-old put pen to paper this afternoon after passing a medical, and although he will not be involved in tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool, he is eager to take up his new challenge.

He told the club's official website, www.safc.co.uk: "I'm very excited to be here.

"It is another challenge and hopefully I can use my experience to help the young players at the club. I had a few options and I just thought this is a good one.

"I want to get a good week or 10 days' training under my belt and go from there."

The Black Cats head for Luton in the Carling Cup second round on Tuesday night and then for Old Trafford in the league next weekend, handing Cole the chance of an emotional return to former club Manchester United.

He burst on to the top-flight scene after earning a £1.75million move to Newcastle from Bristol City in March 1993.

In his time at Old Trafford, Cole collected five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League winners' medal. He has 188 Premier League goals to his name, second only to Alan Shearer.

Sunderland boss and former United team-mate Roy Keane said: "He has had a fair few clubs, but I have played with Andy and been in the same dressing room and I know he likes to win.

"He is someone I have always got on all right with - it might be different now I am a manager, that might change.

"But a player with Andy's history - you look at his goals record and his experience, and he is someone we had to consider.

"He will be here to help some of our other strikers. Michael Chopra has just come to the club, we have got David Connolly, Daryl Murphy - Stern John is a bit more experienced.

"People might say Andy is not a great talker and a big talker, but his actions and what he does on the training pitch, his movement will be important.

"He is quite happy to disagree with people and I don't mind that. But his experience will be vital."

Meanwhile, Keane has leapt to the defence of the under-fire Rob Styles and his refereeing colleagues.

In the wake of Styles's high-profile punishment for his error in awarding Chelsea a crucial penalty at Liverpool last Sunday - he will not take charge of a game this weekend - Keane has called on his colleagues to ease the pressure on the men in the middle.

He said: "I know it might sound crazy, but I do believe a lot of people are putting too much pressure on the referees.

"I know I did as a player - I am sure there is going to be a picture now of me chasing a referee - but that was then.

"The referees are full-time now and they are aware of the pressures involved. It is the same for managers, for players, for chairmen.

"The pressures are pretty intense, but that's the way of the world, it's not going to change."