Sunderland in wonderland!

Play-off final Special

AFTER four torturous years in England’s third tier during which Sunderland have continually redefined the club’s lowest ebb, here was the day when the pain made way for pride and, finally, promotion.

With it, the burial of a jinx that meant any supporter yet to celebrate their 50th birthday had never witnessed their team win at Wembley, at least in person. Last year’s Football League Trophy victory — to end a run of eight straight defeats here — was behind closed doors, a surreal and soulless occasion.

Not this time. There were 46,000 present to testify that this was real, and their flares turned the air red after goals in each half from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart. In the past, those same fans would have been turning the Wembley air blue.

And what a sight it was, their noise and number hardly in keeping with a League One setting. That is because Sunderland should never have been in this division in the first place. The worry was that the big fish was beginning to fit its new surrounds.

Not now, though. They are free from captivity and back in the Championship. It is a conversation for another day, but the Premier League is where this club truly belong.

With Alex Neil, they look to have a manager capable of taking them there, albeit with split-ownership issues in need of urgent resolve.

But what an appointment the Scot has proven to be, even if he was not first choice for the job in February. Perhaps Roy Keane’s rejection and Neil’s arrival was a rare stroke of good fortune for a club beset by bad karma in recent years. This was a 16th match unbeaten under the 40-year-old’s control.

‘People love sticking the boot into a fallen giant,’ said Neil. ‘It’s all, “This is c**p, that is c**p”. It was such a challenge coming here. The club has hoovered up managers and it’s been tough for people. But I always had confidence. People think I’m miserable, I’m not. I don’t dance about. But I am so happy today to deliver for so many people who it really matters to.’

Neil’s players have bought into his straight talking — defender Bailey Wright even climbed off his sick bed to get a helicopter to London on Friday — and his team-talk was evidently inspiring, given their ferocious start. So, what was it? ‘I was talking about moments in your life and career,’ said Neil. ‘I spoke about Marco van Basten’s goal, Diego Maradona winning the World Cup.

‘It is moments in time. I told the lads that this was their moment in time — be a hero and no one can ever take that away from you. They

will be remembered now, and rightly so.’

It has become tradition for Sunderland fans to occupy Trafalgar Square on the eve of Wembley appearances. The fountains there are littered with the bronze and silver of their sunken dreams. At last, those wishes were answered. In truth, it never really felt in doubt.

Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe, so went the pre-match analysis, would try to bully opponents of superior quality. But to intimidate someone you first must catch them, and Wycombe spent the opening 10 minutes in pursuit of shadows.

They really were in a spin by the time Sunderland took a 12th-minute lead. Not that it looked like being a goal when Embleton collected the ball inside his own half.

He started running, evading two blue jerseys on halfway, and did not stop until dispatching goalwards from 25 yards. Had he shot too early? For keeper David Stockdale it was certainly too soon. Yes, the ball shifted mid-flight, but Stockdale wore a panicked look, and he duly flapped at fresh air.

Wycombe were always likely to nick one chance in the match and they had it when Sam Vokes pounced on a mistake by Wright on the hour. In on goal, the Wales striker could not arrange his feet quickly enough and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson smothered the ball.

Sunderland’s promotion-sealing goal arrived 11 minutes from time when striker Stewart stole room for a shot and rolled, seemingly effortlessly, into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

He made it look much easier than Sunderland have done over the past four years.