It is eight years since they were relegated, the start of a precipitous fall that saw them tumble into League One and suffer a contraction in both ambition and status. But a glorious, sun-kissed night on Wearside confirmed they are on the way back, a very different club from the one that seemed to have the life sucked out of them when David Moyes oversaw an igonominious demotion in 2017.
And Sunderland fans deserve to savour the moment, having largely taken the leap of faith with club owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and his all-powerful sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, who defied the doubters to restructure a football club to become more daring and dynamic than many of their rivals would ever dream of.
Louis-Dreyfus (centre) has overseen a daring transformation at the Stadium of Light (Photo: Getty)The way they got there sums up so much of what is admirable about Sunderland. At the stadium the atmosphere was as electric as any in the Stadium of Light’s 30 years, but when Coventry began to edge the game the sell-out crowd had to stay with it. That is the way with young players – the average age of Sunderland’s XIs this season is just a shade over 22 – and a manager in Regis Le Bris who is still feeling his way in English football.
It was utter chaos in the stands and on the pitch. The noise was defeaning as the Stadium of Light descended into bedlam. No VAR, no camera phones, just the sweet, temporary release of 40,000 people from their senses.
Sunderland would offer fresh plotlines and passion and a new cast of young and hungry players. And just like Leeds, there’d be spite and emotion connected to the return of one of English football’s most historic names to the top flight. Who wouldn’t want to watch the box office return of the Tyne-Wear and Wear-Tyne derbies, which captivate the region and have a history of scrambling brains and changing careers?
Jobe Bellingham is the player Sunderland fear losing most (Photo: Getty)Louis-Dreyfus is the key man here. Those close to him believe he is unlikely to suddenly sanction huge spending if the Premier League comes calling. His family wealth is measured in the billions but he is either unwilling or unable to bankroll the club in that way – although a big (but sensible) recruitment drive would be sanctioned.
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Could it also lead to further investment? It has always been the talk in takeover circles that there are those willing to do a deal or put money in at Sunderland but to match Louis-Dreyfus’ terms the club needed to be back in the Premier League. It will be fascinating to see whether anything happens there but the Netflix series Sunderland ‘Til I Die has given them profile in America, even inspiring Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to invest in Wrexham. Let’s just put it this way – their rise would be a welcome new plotline Stateside.
Before Sunderland can contemplate any of that, they need to win the play-off final. But given where they have come from, suddenly anything seems possible.
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