A Season of Triumph and Resilience
Following Sunderland’s dramatic playoff victory last season, the objective for the 25/26 season was clear: survive. With the current campaign now over, there’s no doubt that Sunderland exceeded all expectations during their first season back in the Premier League, finishing seventh and qualifying for the Europa League.
There have been bumps in the road, as with every club. The FA Cup match against Port Vale away and the home game against Nottingham Forest are two examples that come to mind instantly. However, at the start of the season, many “experts” and rival fans claimed the Black Cats would be relegated without a fight. Qualifying for Europe was the stuff of dreams.
Recruitment Had to Be Good. It Was
When the club was promoted via the playoffs last year, they had to act fast to build a squad capable of competing with England’s best. Over the course of the season, 18 players arrived, most during a hectic summer transfer window.
Granit Xhaka, many fans and pundits’ player and signing of the season, arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a bargain £17 million. He was made captain and became Regis Le Bris’s manager on the field. His experience and leadership were key to an outstanding season. Keeper Robin Roefs was another bargain at just £11.5 million. The 23-year-old’s performances mean any club that would try to test Sunderland into selling would now need to bid at least five times the amount he was bought for as an opening offer.
Sunderland strengthened throughout the team, bringing in experience, youth, speed, and strength in all positions. Record signing Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki brought work rate alongside Xhaka in centre midfield, and Enzo Le Fee, who was signed permanently after a successful loan spell, has been the Black Cats’ main creative force.
Many believed the number of signings made would take time to settle and struggle at the beginning. However, virtually all of the new players hit the ground running, developing quickly into a competitive and cohesive unit on and off the field.
Avoided Relegation That Was Expected, With Ease
Apart from at the very beginning of the season, even before a ball was kicked, Sunderland were in a relegation battle, a battle they were expected to lose. According to the “experts,” anyway.
However, the lowest they were at during any point in the season was 13th, and never in danger of being dragged into a fight with those in the bottom three. Home form was always going to be important, and most teams that visited the Stadium of Light struggled with the intensity on and off the field. Along with some impressive away performances, and other clubs struggling for points, a relegation battle was avoided.
Unbeaten Home Record
Everyone will say that when a team is promoted to the Premier League, home form is vital to staying up. Sunderland made their home a fortress for much of the season. They were the last EPL team to lose at home, with the then-reigning Champions Liverpool leaving with a 1-0 win to end The Black Cats’ 12-match unbeaten home run. Those 12 games, which saw the team win seven and draw five, were the basis of their successful campaign.
Survived AFCON
Despite an impressive start to the season, there were many who believed that performances and results would suffer during December and January when six first-team players headed to AFCON. However, during this time, Sunderland’s squad strength showed as they were only defeated once in seven games and once again proved the doubters wrong.
Beat Their Fierce Rivals Home and Away
Newcastle fans believed that the games against Sunderland would bring the six easy points. It brought them zero. The first game at the Stadium of Light ended 1-0 to the hosts as their fans made their home a cauldron of noise that seemed to unsettle and intimidate the Magpie players.
At St James’ Park, Newcastle took an early lead, but that seemed to spur on Sunderland, and they grew into the game and were the better side for most of it. With the Magpies failing to capitalise on their fortuitous goal, their fans grew restless, and their players began to tire, Sunderland took advantage. An equaliser midway through the second half was followed by a Brian Brobbey 91st-minute winner to secure another win over their bitter rivals.
Qualified for Europe
Heading into the final game of the season, Sunderland had to beat Chelsea and hope other results went their way. The Blues were beaten, and then the wait began. News began to filter through to the players that Brighton and Brentford had dropped points, which catapulted the Red and Whites up to seventh and a place in the Europa League. The celebrations began on and off the field, and it was another day that fans will never forget.
When they play the first Europa League game, it will be their first in a major European competition since 1973.
Head Coach
Regis Le Bris said: “It feels incredible and it shows that we kept our high standards until the end. The last three or four games showed that we are still ambitious – it was fantastic.
“It is crazy. The 24th of May is the perfect day when you think about last season with our late promotion, and now we are into the Europa League.
“It shows the consistency of the Club, the togetherness, the alignment – when you have this, you can achieve something exceptional.”
Sunderland Exceeded All Expectations, and They Finished Above Newcastle
Not a priority, but another nice victory over their noisy neighbours. Sunderland 7th, Newcastle 12th.
There is no doubt that Sunderland exceeded all expectations this season, and with everything they have gone through during the past 10 years, this is a time to enjoy and look to the future with optimism. Sunderland are back amongst the big boys of England and Europe, and the sky’s the limit.
Featured image courtesy of IMAGO / NurPhoto
