Sunderland AFC’s Impressive Return to the Premier League
In football, there are many examples of an underdog story that cements the idea that anything can happen in the sport, even the most unlikely of outcomes. The story of Sunderland AFC’s fall and rise is one that shocked the nation, as the 13th most successful club, with the 7th most top-flight league titles, ventured to the 3rd tier of English football in the space of 2 years of being in the Premier League.
Defying all odds and fighting back from numerous setbacks - BoyleSports, home of roulette online, will be taking a look at how Sunderland managed to reclaim their position amongst the top 20 in the country.
The Fall
Sunderland had been toying with relegation for the last few years, narrowly avoiding relegation but just managing to finish one place above bitter rivals Newcastle United. However, at the end of the 2016/17 season, they were finally demoted to the Championship, despite a valiant effort to keep them up from Jermain Defoe under David Moyes. The initial feeling was that Sunderland would bounce straight back up, but this wasn’t the case. After an incredibly poor season under Simon Grayson and Chris Coleman, the Black Cats found themselves relegated, finishing 24th. A takeover midway through the season somewhat felt like a sign that the club was being given up on, and with a lack of investment, it appeared as though the club, once regarded as a dominant Premier League side, was slowly fading away.
League One Struggles
The name of Sunderland itself rang around League One, with opposition fans, and football fans in general, expecting Sunderland to bounce straight back up to the Championship after their embarrassing previous couple of years. But again, this was not the case. In their first season, they managed to reach the play-off final after finishing 5th, but were defeated by a late winner for Charlton Athletic. It wasn’t until two years later that Sunderland were able to get themselves back in the play-offs. This time felt different for Sunderland fans with a fresh new owner and striker Charlie Wyke on fire all season long, not to mention lifting a piece of silverware in the form of the EFL Trophy. Again, Sunderland fell short of the mark, something that the Wearsiders were getting used to.
Monumental Takeover
Although their 2020/21 season came to an end at home in the play-off semi-finals against Lincoln City, the new owner brought plenty of conversation with his arrival. The 23-year-old Frenchman was a moment of speculation for football fans, becoming one of the youngest football club owners in the world. The return of Jermain Defoe and a massive list of other new arrivals throughout the season gave Sunderland fans hope that this would be their year. Kyril Louis-Dreyfus had to make some big calls in his first season as owner, replacing manager Lee Johnson with Alex Neil, a change that would cement Sunderland in the play-offs, fighting their way to Wembley for their second League One playoffs. Despite all odds, a 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers sealed promotion to the Championship, ending their League One suffering.
Regis Le Bris Championship Triumph
The first season in the Championship was a mission of survival, not having the strongest squad in the league, but enough to fight for survival. To everybody’s surprise, Alex Neil was let go, with the introduction of Middlesbrough-born manager, Tony Mowbray, being introduced to the Stadium of Light. Some big signings like Dan Ballard, the permanent signing of Jack Clarke, and the loan spell of Manchester United’s Amad Diallo sealed a 6th place play-off spot. Unfortunately for Sunderland, the eventual winners at Wembley would make a 2-0 comeback in the second leg of the semis, meaning Sunderland would face one more season in the second flight, but this time with plenty of hope for promotion. In typical Sunderland fashion, a poor season was to come, landing them in 16th under Michael Beale after Tony Mowbray announced his departure midway through the season. Luckily for Sunderland, the woeful Michael Beale was let go, and caretaker manager Mike Dodds was replaced by Frenchman Regis Le Bris.
The 2024/25 season was special, with a comfortable season, followed by a hesitant end, landing the club in 4th, setting them up to play a side they had not beaten away since 1985. Despite this, a 1-2 win set up for a dramatic return to the Stadium of Light. Extra time was called on, with Daniel Ballard being the hero in red and white, converting a header in the 122nd minute, sending Sunderland back to Wembley, which they would finally win thanks to a late comeback via academy graduate Tommy Watson.
The Return to the Premier League
The Mackems’ return to the Premier League was regarded as a relegation season before it had even started. Football fans across the country predicted Sunderland to finish rock bottom, and even break Derby’s lowest point record. A summer of spending brought in some big names, such as Granit Xhaka, Nordi Mukiele, and Simon Adingra, just to name a few, which gave the Black Cats hope. The start of the season has looked positive, already beating Southampton’s 12-point season in the space of 8 games, setting the Wearside club up for potentially a historic survival, retaining their place in the top flight.
