Jack Colback’s bonfire bright hair suggests he could struggle to find work as an undercover detective but Steve McClaren has identified his former Sunderland midfielder as Newcastle United’s very own secret agent.

“There’s always little things in derbies which you need to be aware of and I’m sure he knows every trick of their trade,” Newcastle’s manager said. “So Jack’s probably an advantage for us.”

The north-east born Colback’s influence on events at the Stadium of Light on Sunday is unlikely to be confined to inside information from the enemy dressing room in which he spent so many seasons. “Jack knows what the derby’s about,” McClaren said. “He can transmit that to us.”

Colback could well find himself joining Cheick Tioté on a mission to subdue his old central midfield partner, Lee Cattermole, a player to whom McClaren needs no introduction. “At Middlesbrough I gave Lee his debut in a derby game [against Newcastle] and he was excellent, man of the match,” he said. “Lee’s done very well, better than I thought he would. I think he’s terrific. To see him go on and become the kind of player he is now – and he’s a good footballer as well – is very good.”

Taking the edge off Cattermole’s game could be a key to Newcastle ending Sunderland’s run of five straight derby wins but McClaren is struggling to second guess Sam Allardyce’s game plan. “Sam’s just in and we don’t know what their team will be. With Dick Advocaat we’d have had more of an idea but we’re really in the dark.”

If Allardyce’s arrival has complicated things tactically, McClaren will be pleased to see a familiar face in the adjacent technical area. “Sam’s a great manager,” he said. “It’s good to see him back.”

The man who beat Allardyce to the England job in 2006 would not be surprised if Sunderland’s manager finds himself back on the FA shortlist when Roy Hodgson steps down. “I’m sure he’ll be put forward,” McClaren said. “But I don’t think Sam’s concentrating on that now – and I certainly wouldn’t recommend it!”