Kevin Kilbane and Michael Gray became the final two star names to head for the exit doors at Sunderland, as the club's mass summer exodus was completed minutes before yesterday's transfer deadline.

The pair took Mick McCarthy's clear-out of senior players at the Stadium of Light to an incredible 16 after Everton and Celtic sealed deals for the pair. Kilbane completed a shock £1m switch to Goodison Park with just minutes to spare before the closure of the Premiership transfer window.

And that followed hot on the heels of Celtic's capture of Sunderland's unwanted skipper Michael Gray on a four-month loan deal, with a view to a permanent switch. Everton boss David Moyes moved swiftly to clinch the signing of Kilbane after allowing midfielder Mark Pembridge to join Fulham in a £750,000 deal yesterday morning.

Moyes, who had the Irishman under his wing while assistant manager to Gary Peters at Preston in 1997, was delighted with his 11th-hour capture.

"He'll give a bit of extra height and strength to the team," said Moyes. "I know a little bit about the boy. He's a really hardworking lad, who is desperate to come and play football and he's desperate to play for Everton."

Kilbane's departure will be one Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy will have least expected.

The 26-year-old, out of contract next July, has played in all of the Black Cats' matches this season and impressed during the convincing 4-0 win over Bradford City on Saturday.

He arrived on Wearside in a £2.5m deal from West Brom in December 1999 but struggled to reproduce the form which made him a success under McCarthy at international level for the Republic of Ireland.

The latest transfer activities mean that cash-strapped Sunderland have now recouped £14m from their summer sales, saving around £10m-a-year in wages in the process.

Wearside-born Gray was a relieved man after signing for Scottish giants Celtic, who have qualified for the Champions League.

But despite a traumatic 12 months on Wearside, he insisted last night that he had finally won back the support of the Sunderland boo-boys.

The Black Cats' longest-serving player had not played in Division One this season as McCarthy slapped a 'For Sale' tag on the player. During last season's disastrous Premiership campaign, the left-back was one of a number of players who were barracked by sections of the Stadium of Light faithful.

But Gray, who played his part in a 2-1 Carling Cup success at Division Three side Mansfield last month, is convinced he can turn his back on his hometown club with his head held high.

"Near the end of last season when the results weren't going well for us the crowd were obviously turning against me as I was a local boy," said Gray, who made more than 400 appearances since making his debut in 1992.

"It got difficult near the end but they forgot about it during pre-season and this season the fans were great with me.

"I can fully understand when you don't get results that the crowd get on your back. Now I'm here to win over the fans. Celtic have already got a tremendous squad here, who I think can go a long way in Europe."

Gray captained Sunderland during their relegation-doomed 2002-03 campaign - a year when he had to work under three different managers.

During Peter Reid's Wearside tenure the skipper earned three caps for his country under Kevin Keegan and played the best football of his career.

But since the departure of Reid, Gray struggled to recapture his top form and believes the sacking of the ex-England midfielder was difficult for him and many other players to come to terms with.

"We had three managers in a short space of time and when you have been under Peter Reid for seven years and then it changes some players found it difficult," said Gray.

"Howard Wilkinson tried to change it around and it didn't really happen. Mick McCarthy has had a tough start and went through a relegation, but the club are picking up now and I'm certain they can get back in the Premiership."

Reid, now at Leeds, was one of a number of managers who were considering signing Gray and he was on the verge of completing a move to Marseille on Saturday. But the French outfit could not broker a fee for the player and the deal fell through. Gray believes having a shot at the Champions League will help boost his international chances once again.

The 29-year-old, who has three years to run on his current Sunderland contract, now faces Champions League trips to German giants Bayern Munich instead of Burnley.

And an excited Gray added: "Just to be part of that and get involved will be great for myself. I knew if the deal went through I could get the chance to play in the Champions League.

"I've played for my country three times, but I've never played in Europe with Sunderland.

"That was an unbelievable feeling and something I am very proud of. I still have ambitions of adding to my three caps and if I've got a chance to be seen and to be seen doing well than Celtic is the place to be."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said: "He needs to get his own career up and running again.

"He was captain and a regular member of the Sunderland side for a long time and obviously there have been traumatic changes at the club since then with them being relegated and a lot of players leaving. Michael has been a one-club man for a long time and this is a chance for him to come here and see if he can make his mark.'

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