Sunderland’s Revival Begins
Just four years ago, Sunderland fans were at the bottom of an agonizing pit that they thought they would never get out of. Back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to the Championship all the way down to League One brought one of the biggest clubs in all of English football into a place where it simply did not belong. For the emotional Sunderland fans, the nightmare in League One is finally over, and the Black Cats going back to the Championship as it continues its journey back to the Premiership. Trips to Wembley that ended in disappointment became a theme for Sunderland until Alex Neil became the man to crack the code that looked at times to be almost insurmountable. One loss since the month of February for Neil and his squad, until they finally broke through the glass ceiling.
A 2-0 win over the Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley in the League One play-off final for the Black Cats sealed the last spot in the second-tier of English football for the 2022-23 season. Neil's decision to start Elliot John Embleton in the attack instead of Spurs' loanee Jack Clarke was a choice that may have not looked like the best at the time but ended up paying dividends in the end. Embleton's strike that went through the hands of goalkeeper David Stockdale, and Ross Stewart's astounding 26th goal of the season were enough to reinvigorate some of the most passionate fans in all of world football.
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Following the performance, Neil spoke on the significance, stating, "For me, coming to a job like this in League One, I don't want to manage in League One - I had to try to get the club out of League One, to become a Championship manager again, under a lot of pressure and scrutiny. But with a group of players like that, it's not a problem...There's a lot of discussions to take place between me and the hierarchy, the owners, and all that sort of stuff. I'm sure that'll take place in the next couple of days."
He later continued, stating, "Whatever happens next happens next. But I want to be at Sunderland, be here, and take it forward. There's massive scope for us to go, but we need to understand we're going to a new level...I know people will expect we're not a Championship team, in the same way, I've been told a million times we're not a League One team."
In February, after the sacking of long-time manager Lee Johnson, Sunderland brought in Neil from Preston North End after he left the club on mutual terms following a 16th place finish. He has changed the complexion of Sunderland AFC who were a "fallen giant" that looked like it was going to remain in League One for a considerable amount of time. Players like Aiden McGeady, Luke O'Nien, and the American Lynden Gooch have been through all the trials and tribulations of the club, nearly touching the glory of promotion multiple times. Finally getting over the hump and out of the league releases the emotion, and how much the win over Wycombe means to not only the fans but the players.
The club and the fans will celebrate for the weeks ahead, but all the eyes in the coming months will turn to next season. The Black Cats have not been in the Championship since 2018 when they finished dead last in the second-tier with a dismal 37 points. The morale could not be any lower at this club from Northern England when it fell to the third-tier, and then the following year when it lost in the League One play-off final to Charlton Athletic. Since going down to League One, the club started to lose faith in an academy that has produced some of the top talents in English football today. From losing Josh Maja a few years ago when he netted 15 goals before the calendar reached February to the Black Cats always trying to find the solution outside of the youth system.
The emotional play-off final showed how much this club has grown with trust, and what it will get the club if it believes in some of its youth players. The highlight was former Sunderland academy player, Embleton scoring the opening goal at Wembley, but the most undervalued performance was the Black Cats' own Anthony Patterson stepping up in a massive way in between the sticks in one of the biggest matches in the club's history. The 22-year-old goalkeeper made three saves including a sensational stop with his legs, denying one of the best strikers in League One, Sam Vokes from an equalizer in the second half. Who knows if Patterson is going to be the goalkeeper for the Black Cats next season, but with a performance like that and the potential he possesses, he could be the solution between the posts.
Heading into one of the most exciting seasons for Sunderland for quite some time, the question remains if some of the loanees are going to stick around at the Stadium of Light? Tottenham winger Jack Clarke is expected to go out on loan once again, 24-year-old Everton forward Nathan Broadhead's future at Sunderland is up in the air, and Leon Dajaku could return to Sunderland but that is ultimately up to Union Berlin. Bringing these players back could be an option, especially for Clarke who played so well, but with a larger budget, there is no telling what this club could do. While this past season was a dream, the fans are still not content with the position of the club in the Championship.
This demanding fan base believes it is a consistent Premier League side, and with the increased budget going up a tier, the Black Cats will get more of an opportunity to attract better players. Sunderland could possibly be one of the most attractive clubs in the Championship given its size, and potential. Playing in front of a packed Stadium of Light of 49,000 passionate fans is a dream for some players, and getting that chance in the second-tier is something no other clubs in the Championship can provide.
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It may not be realistic to see Sunderland go up to the top-flight next season, but seeing the Black Cats compete in the Championship may be good enough. The reality may be that it could take a few years for the Black Cats to bring themselves back to the Premiership, but this past season was the beginning of a resurrection of one of the most storied clubs in English football. There is a long way to go to return to where the fans and the owners what the club to be, but the hole just got a little bit smaller after Stewart put the icing on top of one of the biggest wins in the history of Sunderland AFC.
