It was the perfect parting gift from Tommy Watson, the 19-year-old winger from County Durham who agreed to join Brighton last month while Sunderland were in the thick of a promotion push. Some supporters were unhappy with the teenager for agreeing to a move before the summer. They have probably forgiven him now.
Signing with the Seagulls is a sensible play for any youngster, but maybe in the celebratory days that will follow Sunderland’s long-awaited return to the top-flight, Watson will feel it was a tad hasty. He would have played Premier League football next season anyway, just in red and white stripes rather than blue and white ones.
Sunderland's Play-off final hero Tom Watson speaks about his promotion-clinching goal pic.twitter.com/RznUi4gYyK
Now, why would they go? Even accounting for Watson’s departure, there is a strong core of homegrown talent in situ.
Then there is Jobe Bellingham, another teen signed from Birmingham City. The Bellingham clan are known for their considered decision-making when it comes to mapping out careers, but there is no need to move Jude’s younger brother on now, not after he is accumulated 85 Championship starts before the age of 20.
Brighton-bound Tommy Watson gave Sunderland the perfect leaving gift (Photo: Getty)
Promising players have been plucked from obscurity – Premier League U21 sides, smaller leagues around Europe – and been turned into Championship-level stars.
Not every deal has worked out, but there have been enough success stories for Sunderland to make big strides in recent years. A League One club as recently as May 2022, they finished in the Championship play-off places twice in the last three seasons, in no small part due to fine recruitment and rebounding after losing Jack Clarke and Ross Stewart for big fees.
Eliezer Mayenda, the scorer of the all-important equaliser, joined from FC Sochaux two years ago, after they had just been relegated to France’s third tier. Right back Trai Hume was a £200,000 buy from Linfield in the Northern Ireland Premier League.
Le Fee is the only star name and that deal was unique owing to his close relationship with Le Bris, his manager at FC Lorient.
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Of the 30 players used by Regis Le Bris this season, five were teenagers at the start of the campaign, and only three were 30-plus. Twenty two of them were aged 24 or under.
What comes next will be fascinating. Will Sunderland continue on this talent trajectory on a bigger budget? Or will they deviate slightly and try and supplement a youthful squad with more experience? Jordan Henderson watched his boyhood club at Wembley. Could he be persuaded to come home after a couple of years abroad?
He will want and need additions to give his team any hope of survival, but only if they buy into the ethos that has got this squad so far.
“But that’s not the main point. The main point is the way that we work together and this squad was really impressive this season in their connection.”
Keeping that bond intact while sprinkling a little stardust on top will be their next challenge.
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