Everything You Need to Know About Sunderland Ahead of the 2022-23 Championship Season

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Sunderland AFC are again within the Championship following 4 grueling seasons in League One. Have the Black Cats acquired what it takes to push for Premier League soccer as soon as once more?

Let’s not neglect that Sunderland loved ten consecutive top-flight campaigns between 2007/08 and 2016/17. As you may see from the statistics under, the Mackems have loved loads of success through the years.

• Based: 1879
• Nickname: The Black Cats
• Stadium: Stadium of Gentle (49,000)
• Proprietor: Kyril Louis-Dreyfus
• Supervisor: Alex Neil
• First Division Titles: 6
• FA Cup Wins: 2

Sunderland dominated English soccer throughout the Eighteen Nineties and 1900s, profitable 4 First Division in 12 seasons between 1891/91 and 1901/02. They added to their top-flight title assortment in 1912/13 and 1935/36.

The Black Cats have reached 4 FA Cup finals, too, triumphing in 1936/37 and 1972/73. Their most up-to-date silverware got here in 2020/21, after they secured the EFL Trophy.

How Sunderland Returned to the Championship

Final season, Sunderland completed fifth in League One – six factors exterior the automated promotion locations. After beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 within the play-off semi-finals, they claimed a 2-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley.

Alex Neil’s males misplaced simply ten of their 46 regular-season video games final time period, choosing up 24 wins and 12 attracts within the course of. They have been the third-highest scorers within the division, netting 79 objectives (1.7 objectives per recreation).

Striker Ross Stewart completed second within the League One scoring charts, bagging 24 objectives. In the meantime, goalkeepers Anthony Patterson (45.5%) and Ron-Thorben Hoffman (34.8%) posted eye-catching shutout charges.

Why Have the Black Cats Struggled for So Lengthy?

Sunderland can rely themselves unlucky to have spent 4 years in League One. The Black Cats misplaced the play-off ultimate in 2018/19 earlier than reaching the play-off semi-finals in 2020/21.

As a consequence of a succession of shortcomings, Sunderland have gone by means of quite a few managers in latest instances. Since their relegation from the Premier League in 2016/17, they’ve employed six everlasting managers.

• Simon Grayson (June 2017 – October 2017)
• Chris Coleman (November 2017 – April 2018)
• Jack Ross (Might 2018 – October 2019)
• Phil Parkinson (October 2019 – November 2020)
• Lee Johnson (December 2020 – January 2022)
• Alex Neil (February 2022 – Current)

Simon Grayson, Chris Coleman, Jack Ross, Phil Parkinson and Lee Johnson all tried – and failed – to get Sunderland again to the Championship earlier than Alex Neil lastly succeeded.

Neil received the Scottish Premiership play-offs with Hamilton Academical in 2014 earlier than profitable the Championship play-offs with Norwich Metropolis the next yr. So, he is aware of what it takes to get to the Premier League.

Key Gamers to Hold an Eye On

Quite a few gamers starred all through Sunderland’s promotion-winning marketing campaign. Under is a listing of the membership’s prime scorers throughout all competitions in 2021/22.

• Ross Stewart – 26 objectives/5 assists
• Nathan Broadhead – 13 objectives/0 assists
• Elliot Embleton – 9 objectives/8 assists
• Aiden O’Brien – 6 objectives/3 assists
• Alex Pritchard – 4 objectives/14 assists
• Dan Neil – 4 objectives/8 assists

As we already know, Ross Stewart is Sunderland’s main goal-getter. Alex Pritchard is the help king, having bagged 14 assists in all competitions final time period.

There is no such thing as a denying that Sunderland belong on the prime finish of the English soccer pyramid. The six-time top-flight champions have been away from the Premier League for too lengthy, so they are going to be determined to return within the not-too-distant future.