Not even in Tommy Watson’s wildest dreams could he have imagined a better ending to his Sunderland career.
With the last shot, maybe his very last touch, of his career at the club, the 19-year-old boyhood Sunderland fan from nearby Horden fired the Black Cats back into the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
Watson has already committed to join rival Premier League side Brighton this summer, and the announcement elicited mixed reactions from Sunderland fans, many of whom were dissatisfied with the choice.
However, Watson is hoping that after giving fans the best possible departure gift, all will be forgiven.
“I’ve had stick from the fans but I’ve come out the other side and I don’t think I’ll be getting stick anymore,” said the footballer.
“This is where the club ought to be. A true beast of a club that deserves to play in the Premier League.
“It’s an absolute dream come true. “I’ve been a Sunderland fan since I was five or six years old.”
Sunderland entered the encounter against Sheffield United as heavy underdogs. The Blades almost missed out on automatic promotion, finishing 14 points ahead of Regis Le Bris’ team heading into the play-offs.
But that message did not reach Sunderland fans, who never gave up hope that their team could defy the odds and return to where they believe they belong, even when Tyrese Campbell gave United the lead in the first half following a superb run and pass from star man Gustavo Hamer.
That faith was challenged when Sheffield United thought Harrison Burrows had added a second goal, but VAR intervened and ruled it out for offside. Sunderland fans will have to get used to waiting for the outcome of major decisions, as VAR was not introduced the last time they played top-flight football.
However, the decision to rule out Burrows’ goal boosted the supporters. There were concerns in the first half that Le Bris’ team was not moving the ball quickly enough or playing forward frequently enough, a sentiment shared by the Sunderland manager.
His team came out for the second half with more intensity and a desire to attack quicker, and were rewarded when Eliezer Mayenda broke through on goal from a Patrick Robets pass and expertly finished into the roof of the net.
Sunderland’s awful run at Wembley is now a distant memory. The club has won its previous three games at the site, putting the ghosts of the past behind them.
It is no secret that freshly promoted clubs have battled greatly in recent years, and Sunderland will undoubtedly face a difficult task to stay up.
However, with the amazing support of a devoted crowd, a manager in Le Bris who has demonstrated a willingness to adapt, and an outstanding crop of young talent, there should be genuine hope that the Black Cats can stay there.
Having already lost Watson, maintaining Jobe Bellingham, Mayenda, Chris Rigg, and others will be a significant boost, and Le Bris will need to be supported.
But they are issues for a later period. Sunderland has returned to the top flight after four seasons in League One.
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