The defender would have been out of contract at the end of this season, but has now committed himself to the club until the summer of 2012.

He joins midfielder Jordan Henderson and goalkeeper Trevor Carson in extending their stays on Wearside.

Nosworthy was signed as a free agent from Gillingham in 2005 by Mick McCarthy.

Daryl Murphy is the only other member of Sunderland's squad to have arrived at the club before Roy Keane's reign as boss.

There was a danger the 2007 North East Football Writers' player of the year could have left the Stadium of Light for nothing in the summer, but boss Steve Bruce insists the Londoner still has a part to play.

Bruce said: "Nyron knows this club inside out and is a hugely popular member of the squad.

"He has impressed me since I came here in the summer. He has a great work ethic and typifies the physically strong presence that good teams need in the Premier League, so I'm delighted he has committed his future to Sunderland."

Nosworthy, 29, has started only one Premier League game for Sunderland this season and has seen his path to the first team blocked by Bruce's defensive recruits Michael Turner, John Mensah and Paulo Da Silva.