Sunderland defender Dan Ballard believes AFC Bournemouth loanee, Chris Mepham, has arguably been the Black Cats’ “best” performer of the season as his colleague played just four minutes in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final off the bench.
The Northern Ireland international and his defensive colleagues contributed significantly to the Wearsiders’ strong away performance against Coventry City at the CBS Arena, as they head into Tuesday night’s second leg at the Stadium of Light with a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda.
Ballard has only recently returned from a two-month hamstring injury, with a 30-minute cameo on the final day of the regular second-tier season against QPR his only appearance since February 22nd, before joining Regis Le Bris’ starting lineup in the West Midlands alongside the versatile and experienced Luke O’Nien.
And, in his post-match press conference following a critical victory, the 25-year-old paid tribute to Mepham’s efforts during the year while also highlighting the difficult decisions offered to the Mackems manager given the quality in the ranks.
Dan Ballard issues player of the season claim involving Chris Mepham
Mepham joined Wearside from the Premier League on August 30th and quickly established himself in the side after making his debut against Middlesbrough on September 22nd, adding a lot of experience to the squad with the division’s lowest average age.
The 47-time international started 37 of his 38 league matches and helped keep 12 clean sheets, whilst Ballard had a mixed record, making only 12 starts and 20 total appearances over the regular 46-game season.
After a colossal performance that earned him ‘Player of the Match’ at the CBS, the man who is a summer target for Sheffield United if they achieve promotion – as exclusively revealed by FLW – delivered his verdict on Sunderland’s defensive depth, which saw Mepham reduced to a substitute cameo in the dying minutes.
| Minutes Played – Chris Mepham vs Dan Ballard | Total |
|---|---|
| Chris Mepham | 3,281 |
| Dan Ballard | 1,258 |
| All Stats as per Transfermarkt | |
“It’s probably one of the toughest things in football, and I’ve had to sit on the bench quite a bit this season as well,” Ballard told Chronicle Live.
“The gaffer’s got a tough decision to make. “I really feel for Chris (Mepham) because he’s been one of, if not our, best players all season,” the defender said. “He’ll play a huge role in the next game, and hopefully the one after that. But he’s been excellent all season. He’s one of the reasons we’re here now.
“I will probably have a hurting head in the morning. And that was my first 90 minutes in ten weeks. It’s all about recuperation right now. So hopefully I can go again on Tuesday,” he said.
Sunderland’s chances of striking permanent deal for Chris Mepham
After 61 appearances in the top level, Mepham is just two games away from helping Sunderland end their own eight-year absence from the division following relegation in 2016/17.
The 27-year-old moved to the Vitality Stadium from Brentford for £12 million in 2019 and signed a contract extension until the end of the current season in 2022, and he revealed that Bournemouth has the option to extend the deal until 2026, shortly after his temporary move to the North East was completed.
After scoring his first goal for the club against Cardiff City, Mepham stated that he would be “open” to a permanent transfer to the Black Cats this off-season, but Le Bris kept his cards close to his chest on this front, as it was reported that the Cherries were expected to trigger the aforementioned contract clause to recoup some of their initial eight-figure investment.
It remains to be seen whether such conditions will arise, and it may depend on Sunderland’s success in their play-off attempt, as they seek to return to Wembley for the first time in three years by defeating Frank Lampard’s side in what promises to be another exciting encounter.
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