A Red And White Rise To Savour!
· Yahoo Sports
The last time I was at the Stadium of Light was April 2024. We lost 1-5 to Blackburn, and it was pissing down with rain. They say a year is a long time in football? Well, I can assure you, two years is a very long time for Sunderland.
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On Sunday, the chance to finish an already excellent season on a high lay before us.
The atmosphere was one of the best I’ve ever experienced. It was loud — the loudest I’ve heard the Stadium of Light. The fans were incredible: passionate, united and ready to celebrate a season during which we were somehow chasing a European dream. The sun was shining, and there wasn’t an empty seat in sight.
At full-time, Granit Xhaka’s speech really struck a chord.
“This is just the beginning,” he said.
I believe him.
I’m confident this club now has the expertise and resources to establish itself both domestically and on the continent. What a turnaround from years ago.
My only concern in our meteoric rise is the challenge of integrating more players into the squad that we’ll inevitably need to compete across all competitions, while also maintaining our excellent transfer hit rate — a headache the club will be more than happy to have.
Régis Le Bris and Xhaka both thanked the staff from top to bottom, a reminder that our rise has been the work of many, not just a few. There’s a real understanding that the togetherness of this club is what drives success both on and off the pitch.
I’m approaching forty and was lucky enough to witness the Peter Reid team of the late ’90s. I thought I’d already seen the best Sunderland side of my lifetime.
The past few years have required soul-searching for us as fans, and as a Londoner with a young family, I’m limited to the odd away game in the capital. With demand for tickets so high, I hadn’t managed to see us down south at all this season.
Sunday was my first match of the campaign and I can categorically say it’s the best football I’ve ever seen Sunderland play, with quality all over the pitch.
A year ago to the day on Sunday, we experienced one of the most exhilarating moments in our history with that dramatic Wembley win, but this? This is something else.
Seventh in the Premier League. Europe secured. The double completed over our nearest and not so dearest.
What a time to be alive as a Sunderland fan.
The plaudits for our players this season have been well deserved. Xhaka has been brilliant all season, as has Noah Sadiki. Those two lads in the engine room have been pivotal for us throughout the campaign, and Robin Roefs, Brian Brobbey and Nordi Mukiele have all been excellent too.
But for me, Enzo Le Fée has been the player of the year. Pure quality; an outstanding signing who’s only improved with the talent around him. A genuine pleasure to watch, and he’s ours.
I had to pinch myself a few times to remind myself of the quality of player we now possess.
The years of pain we’ve endured make this journey back to the Premier League and now into Europe even sweeter.
Sunday was a celebration of that. The city looked glorious in the sun, you could see the investment everywhere, and the club’s commitment to improving infrastructure has been fantastic.
European football will benefit both the club and the city in countless ways. The bond between the fans and the club is restored, and I’m excited for Sunderland to show itself on the European stage to supporters around the world.
What a story. What a club.
Now dust off that passport — we’re off to Europe.